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Levy wins By Amber Fossen Ashland Daily Tidings It's true. Hard work really does pay off. After weeks of intense pro-levy campaigning by more than 600 locals, Ashland residents overwhelmingly approved the five-year Youth Activities Levy, 78 percent to 20 percent, according to results from the Jackson County Clerk's Office. A weary Maile McCormick, 10, spends hours calling Ashland residents Tuesday night asking them to vote for the Ashland Youth Activities Levy. McCormick's efforts paid off when voters approved the measure. Ashland Daily Tidings/DENISE BARATTA Yes votes Tuesday totaled 5,100 to 1,332 opposed. Turnout, as low as 40.9 percent Monday morning, was at 47.5 percent around 10 p.m. Tuesday, but crossed the double-majority threshold overnight and finished at 54.4 percent as of this morning, final unofficial results show. "I went online at 6 a.m. this morning," Ashland School Board member and levy supporter Chuck Keil said today. "I couldn't stand it, I couldn't wait any longer." Keil said the levy passed by the highest approval rating in its history. The last levy in 2000 came close with more than 60 percent of residents voting in favor of the three-year measure. As news of the levy's passage spread this morning, kudos were given to the volunteers and community members who made it possible. "I'm thrilled that all of the hard work paid off and that Ashland voters have the confidence in the school district to continue to provide quality education," school board member Terry Littleton said, adding that she hopes this levy is the last local levy to serve as a temporary fix to statewide budget problems. To help garner all the last-minute votes possible, the "Get Out The Vote" phone call campaign continued to ring up registered voters until 7:30 Tuesday night. Over the course of a week, more than 200 volunteers called an estimated 10,000 registered voters, according to campaign officials. "This really does affect the lives of students and the district," levy supporter and school board candidate Howard Braham said from the "Get Out The Vote" headquarters at Ashland-based Darex Corp. As the phones were dialed, a group of Ashland High School students rallied outside of the ballot drop box by Ashland City Hall to cheer on every election participant. "We're planning on the best, but we're here to make sure the best happens," AHS senior Evian DiStefano said as the election ended at 8 p.m. DiStefano was joined by AHS junior Sarah Camp. The pair arrived as part of a student effort - which included canvassing and working the phone lines - to gain support for the levy. Camp, who participates on both the AHS crew and ski teams, said she was afraid of the unknown, asking "What happens to us if the levy doesn't pass?" District officials said if the levy failed the budget would have to be revisited and that options - like returning to a pay-to-play system - would have to be explored. Superintendent Juli Di Chiro said she was thankful Ashland voters approved the levy despite tough economic times. She said it shows the community isn't willing to put students in the middle of the budget crunch. "I don't think we want to sacrifice our kids to the political process right now," Di Chiro said. The approved levy asks for $1.38 per $1,000 of assessed property value to help fund district activities. The levy was approved for a five-year increment opposed to the previous three-year period. It passed in 1994, 1997 and again in 2000. Ashland City Council members Tuesday night were keeping half an eye on the levy results even as they considered such pressing city matters as affordable housing, raising inspection fees and a local improvement district. At 8:05 p.m., City Recorder Barbara Christensen delivered a slip of paper to Mayor Alan DeBoer, who brought the meeting to momentary a halt to announce the levy was ahead by about 3,000 votes, but had only reached a 47.5-percent turnout. With victory seemingly at hand, levy supporters issued a collective sigh of relief Tuesday night as weeks of hard work came to a close. Even though the turnout was below 50 percent by 8 p.m., levy backers knew a shipment of at least 500 ballots was on its way to the county clerk's office, ensuring the required level of voter participation. "We've got an overwhelming majority saying yes, which sends a message to Salem that we're ready to spend money on education," levy supporter and Ashland School Board vice-chair Amy Amrhein said as the evening wound down. "It's up to the state Legislature to find long term funding solutions but until they do, we're willing to pick up the slack." Amrhein said volunteers worked harder on this campaign than in years past because the loss of the levy would have plunged the cash-strapped district further into financial crisis. The funds target a variety of district activities, including choir, Leadership classes, outdoor education, club sports, yearbook, drama, band, Brain Bowl and foreign language classes. The levy was created in response to the passage of voter-approved Measure 5, which depleted funding for Oregon schools. The levy provided more than $670,000 to programs at Ashland High School for the 2002-03 school year, according to campaign coordinators. It also provided more than $250,000 to the middle school and more than $430,000 toward general music and physical education at the elementary school level. Keil said communities throughout the state are forced to look at local option levies because of legislative inaction. "It should be a pretty clear message here to Salem. Whether the local levy passes or fails isn't the point," Keil said. "It's the frustration local communities feel that there is no process in Salem. The point is they're (communities) trying. They're out there swinging, trying to make things happen." LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -