HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Voters in Cabell County will decide on a school excess levy in May following a state Supreme Court order Thursday to reverse a lower court decision that would’ve continued funding libraries and parks.
The Supreme Court issued the order two days after hearing oral arguments from attorneys representing the Cabell County Board of Education, the Greater Huntington Park District and the Cabell County Public Library.
In Dec. 2023, a Cabell County Circuit Court judge ruled in favor of the park district and library system after the two parties filed a lawsuit against the school board. The lawsuit came after the BOE in Aug. 2023 voted to slash library and parks funding from its excess levy, which is set to be voted on in the May Primary Election.
The BOE appealed Cabell County Circuit Court’s decision to the Supreme Court.
The high court’s order means the school board can stop funding libraries and parks under its proposed school excess levy.
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Del. Matthew Rohrbach, R-Cabell, said the issue has divided his county.
“It’s been very controversial and I’m sure this ruling today is just going to fuel the controversy,” Rohrbach said on Thursday’s MetroNews “Talkline.”
The school board wants to strip funding from libraries and parks because they can no longer afford it. Cabell County Schools Superintendent Ryan Saxe previously told MetroNews the district has experienced financial pressure caused by inflation, a lack of additional funding from the COVID pandemic and low student enrollment.
The levy to be voted on in May will not include about $2 million total for parks and libraries.
Rohrbach said he believes voters will turn down the levy.
“The park system is great. In Huntington and Cabell County, people want it. We value our libraries. I think if that’s the choice that people are given, I think the school levy is going to fail overwhelmingly,” he said.
If the levy fails in May, there will be another chance for the school board to put it up for a vote in November.
“There will be a chance to reach an equitable conclusion to this because this levy is up in July 2025,” Rohrbach said.
The levy has provided funding to the Cabell County Public Library since 1967 and the Greater Huntington Park and Recreation District since 1983.