Summit BOE Deputy Director Ron Koehler says a better way might be to vote on Saturday between 8:00 a.m. and noon, or, vote at the polls on Tuesday.

Copley-Fairlawn Schools has an additional tax for current expenses at 6.9 mills for a continuing period of time. Recently, Copley-Fairlawn's Board of Education approved a two-tier reduction list. The first tier, $1.5 million in cutbacks, would be made immediately if this levy is turned down. It includes paying to play sports, eliminating high school transportation, adding student fees for art supplies and workbooks and more. The second round of reductions, totaling an additional $4.3 million, would come if the levy fails again in November. With it comes 29 teachers and tutoring positions gone, effective July 2011. Pay to play fees would more than double to $600, all foreign language, except Spanish, would be axed in high school and career technical programs would be slashed.

In Norton, they have a proposed bond issue that would average 4.6 mills, with a maximum repayment period of 37 years to raise a little over $27.5 million for a new school building. Norton also has an additional tax levy not to exceed 2 mills for the financing of general permanent improvements.

Voters in Highland will be determining whether or not to pass an emergency levy to raise over $3.8 million at the rate of 5.9 mills for five years. Its website states this levy would "help but not fix all," noting if it fails it means fewer dollars in the 2011-2012 school year, which affects what can be offered to students. The average appraised property value in Highland is $300,000 so it would cost a homeowner $542.06 a year or $45.17 each month. School officials say they need this levy to meet rising expenses because school revenues from local property taxes are fixed, and state support and other revenue sources are declining. Unlike income and sales taxes, which rise with inflation, school revenue is frozen at the last dollar amount approved by voters. It's likely even if voters pass the Highland levy, the district will have to go back to voters in three years.

Polls open in Summit County at 6:30 a.m. August 3 and close at 7:30 p.m.