On the Ballot: a School Levy and a City Charter Change

With the May 3 election two weeks away, it’s a good time to go over the issues on the ballot for Brecksville residents. 

There are two issues on next month’s ballot: 

Issue 1: A five-year, 5.3-mill operating levy for the Brecksville-Broadview Heights City School District

The Board of Education and the district administration has said in various meetings that this levy is necessary for the district to avoid further cuts; at a , Board President George J. Balasko said there was an “urgent need” for the levy. Recent levy requests have been defeated by voters. The school district has a levy calculator on its website for residents to see how much the levy would cost their household.  

Issue 9: A proposed change to the city’s charter, related to filing deadlines for elections

Mayor Jerry N. Hruby said the city’s current filing deadlines for candidates, recalls and issues like potential re-zoning is later than the date the federal government has determined that ballots should be sent out to absentee voters. Hruby added that the amendment would not change any rights for residents. According to information from the city, the amendment would move up the filing deadlines from the current 75 days before an election, or less in some cases, to 90 to 120 days before.  

Do you want to share your thoughts on one of the issues on the ballot? Brecksville Patch accepts . Please include your name, address and a way to reach you with all letters. Email Editor Rachel Abbey with any questions. 

Editor's note: This story has been corrected. The original story did not note that some of the filing deadlines are currently less than 75 days before an election.