Voters approve local option renewal

The Sisters School District local option levy has passed with 1,858 votes in favor (54.47 percent) to 1,553 votes against (45.53 percent) according to the latest report from the Deschutes County Clerk.

The four-year levy of 75 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation provides about $1.1 million per year to the Sisters School District.

"The clear winners are the children of Sisters," said school board chair Christine Jones. "The coming year is a year when we'll really need local option and when it mattered the voters stepped up."

Jones said that the school district is still looking at serious cuts next year to fill a budget gap that could range from $500,000 up to $1 million depending on how the state handles a projected $3 billion deficit.

Those cuts are likely to be severe and will affect programs and staffing, Jones said, although she emphasized that details of cuts have yet to be worked out.

"You're looking at a catastrophic situation without local option," she said.

The March 10 result reversed the outcome of the November general election, where local option fell by a margin of 27 votes.

The total votes cast in that election was much higher, with 2,299 votes in favor and 2,325 votes against.

The local option levy approved March 10 will be in place for four years and will come up for renewal in 2012.