FRANKLIN FURNACE — The 7.9-mil additional school levy for Green Local Schools failed with final results at 446 against and 165 for, according to unofficial results from the Scioto County Board of Elections.

Superintendent Ronald Lindsey said the results of the election were somewhat expected as “this is a horrible time to be asking for additional tax dollars.”

“This is a very frustrating situation,” Lindsey said. “The kids just don’t have the same opportunities that other districts have.”

The district will now face a $475,000 deficit by the end of the fiscal year. The 7.9-mil additional levy would have generated the monies needed to shore up budget deficits, costing property owners an additional 79-cents for each $100 in property valuation.

Lindsey added he would now have to analyze what the district’s next move will be. He said the district will continue to look for the opportunities federal stimulus money might offer, but even then anything from that might be a long shot.

The defeat continues a less than stellar couple of weeks for the district. On April 20 school officials and the Green Local School Board closed Green Primary School after the walls in the gymnasium were found to be structurally unsound.

The gymnasium is used for school activities and outside extracurricular events. Engineers found the classrooms in the building to be safe.

While many districts in Lawrence and Scioto counties have been able to construct new facilities with state help during the past decade, Green Local Schools have been on the outside looking in despite being one of the poorest districts in the state.

The current facilities plan for new construction has districts throughout the state picking up 55-percent with the state of Ohio paying for the rest.

However, with a large majority of the industry in Green Township benefiting from massive property tax abatements, the costs would nearly fall exclusively on homeowners.

Estimates have the district needing close to a 30-mil levy to raise enough capital for the reconstruction project.