By Sue Kiesewetter
Enquirer contributor

LIBERTY TWP. - Parents in Lakota Schools might find themselves on the road more next year if an 11.67-mill combination levy is defeated by voters next month.

Busing in the 16,347-student district, which includes service for nonpublic schools, is one of 15 areas that would be cut if the levy fails March 2.

Faced with a $6.9 million deficit by June 2006, board members said this week they would begin increasing fees and decreasing spending as early as next August.

"There's nothing on this list that was a no-brainer," said Superintendent Kathleen Klink. "It (cuts) impacts what we're able to do in the district. These cutbacks will make Lakota a truly different district."

The levy includes a 9.3-mill continuing levy that would raise $21 million annually and a 2.37-mill bond issue that would provide $84.9 million for school construction and renovation of buildings.

If the levy is approved, the owner of a $150,000 home would pay an additional $536 a year.

Board members directed Klink and Treasurer Alan Hutchinson to fine-tune the list so that spending would decrease by $3 million to $3.5 million. That's on top of $3.5 million that is being cut regardless of the levy's outcome, Hutchinson said.

"We would be spending less next year than this year even though we'll have the budget impact of over 400 new students," Hutchinson said.

The net effect of a levy loss plus the planned cuts would be between $6 million and $6.5 million, or about 5 percent of this year's $125.9 million general fund, Hutchinson said.

That could mean elimination of busing for students in grades 10-12 and no service for students in grades K-9 who live within a half-mile of their school. Should that happen some schools' starting and ending times would be affected, Klink said.

Other areas that will be affected include:

• Increasing the participation fee for sports up to $50. It now costs $65 per sport for grades 9-12 and $35 for grades 7-8.

• Increasing school fees by up to $10 for elementary school students and up to 10 percent for junior and senior high school students.

• Reducing or eliminating after-school clubs, drama productions and some music competition.

• Increasing preschool tuition by up to $100.

• Reducing textbook purchases, use of substitute teachers, overtime and supplemental contracts for department/grade chairmen.

• Freezing the pay of administrators and reducing staffing levels at the central office.

• Reducing the teaching staff through attrition.

• Increasing fees for groups who use the school buildings when classes are not in session.

E-mail suek@infionline.net