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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Chris Honoré: Reality television and the GOP primaries ... Mural of rescued horses to be unveiled in Talent ... Designer creates spaces for people to have experiences ... Chris Honoré: Reality television and the GOP primaries ... Mural of rescued horses to be unveiled in Talent ... Designer creates spaces for people to have experiences ... OUR VIEW Our View: Don't ignore ballot Comment DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Apr. 30, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Apr. 30, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Ashland-area voters perusing their vote-by-mail ballots for the May 19 election could be forgiven for stifling a yawn and tossing them aside, but that could be a mistake. The ballots that will be mailed out Friday consist almost entirely of uncontested races for school board and fire district positions. If some voters skipped this election, it would make no difference to those candidates. But also on the ballot is the Youth Activities and Academics Levy, up for renewal this year. Voters have said yes every five years for two decades, and they should do so again, but they need to take the time to vote. The levy would continue collecting $1.29 per $1,000 of assessed value on properties within the school district for five more years. The money helps the district provide athletics and academic enrichment. If voters say no, the levy would expire June 30. The levy provides $2.6 million this school year, and is projected to generate just over $3 million next year. It's the reason Ashland is one of the few districts in the state that doesn't charge students a fee to play sports. It also pays for elementary music, speech and debate and drama programs, and it supports some academic programs at the middle school and high school, as well as guidance counseling and grounds maintenance. Ashland voters are proud of their outstanding school system, and rightly so. The levy is a big reason for that excellence, and voters should renew it for another five years.     DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Apr. 30, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501