BARBERTON: The Barberton Board of Education passed a resolution Monday night that takes the district a step closer to placing a five-year, 8.74-mill emergency levy on the November ballot.Treasurer Ryan Pendleton said additional money is needed to avoid a $1 million deficit by June 2013. That figure is down from last month’s projected $1.2 million deficit because of recent resignations.Pendleton said $3.5 million in additional funding is needed to help the district meet its obligations. He blames declining revenue on state cuts and a drop in property values.“The school district has cut in every possible area before taking it to the voters,” Pendleton said. “Accelerating the closing of Santrock Elementary School a year early, the combination of the two middle schools and reductions of force by the school closings was a $650,000 savings and another $600,000 came from the teachers’ concessions on just wages alone, plus an additional $100,000 on health insurance concessions. The administrative staff took the same concessions.”The board passed a “resolution of necessity,” which asks the Summit County fiscal officer to determine the exact millage needed to generate $3.5 million. Next week the board plans to vote on whether to send the levy to the Summit County Board of Elections to have it officially placed on the ballot.“We don’t want to make light of the situation, but we would like to keep it at a lower millage,” said board President Joe Stefan. “None of us want to ask for money, but can understand the need.”Board members Ron Romich and Dennis Liddle agreed, adding that the final decision will be up to voters.An 8.74-mill levy would cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $268 a year, or $22.30 a month.The last time the school district asked for a levy was in 2005. That 8.6-mill operating levy was renewed in 2009 and will run through 2020.In 2008 a bond issue and permanent improvement levy passed. The homeowner of a $100,000 home now pays about $186 a year for that tax.Pendleton said to help the financial future of the district, two things are necessary: “additional funding coupled with further consolidated expense reductions.”Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.