ROSEBURG, Ore. (KMTR) - Roseburg voters decide in May whether to pass a school levy that would likely keep all schools open.
Roseburg residents are concerned about the value of their homes if a school in town closes. The Roseburg School District filed a levy Thursday hoping to keep all schools open. The school board says if they are forced to close a school, it would likely be Melrose or Rose Elementary.
If voters pass the yearly $1.2 million option levy on the May ballot, Melrose and Rose schools would likely stay open. The average household would face an increase of about $3 to $5 per month. Some taxpayers do not want to pay more, but many parents see it differently.
Parents say closures would mean new bus routes, more kids in the classroom and lower property values.
"It doesn't happen overnight," said RE/MAX broker Kelly Forney. "But it would be a slow process over time that could depress the prices of the homes in areas where there was not a school available."
Many brokers say that families like to be in areas with a school. With the closure of a school, especially if it is in a rural area, brokers say the retail value of houses in that community will eventually decrease.
When the Roseburg School Board meets on April 11, members will decide which school will close should the levy fail.
