Even after laying off over 20 staff members last school year, North College Hill City Schools is still facing a $2 million budget deficit.We cant stop the bleeding, because were doing everything that we can do, said superintende nt Dr. Eugene Blalock.That is why the district is bringing back the 1.25 percent income tax levy to the November ballot. The exact same levy voters saw back in May.WATCH: Why North College Hill City Schools say the levy needs to pass in November Failed North College Hill Schools levy returns to ballotWCPO 9 West Side reporter Marlena Lang asked Blalock how he and the district plan to pass the levy this time around.Were forming a levy committee, which we didnt have last year, said Blalock. I think if family members understood, or got an understanding of why were going for this tax levy, theyd be more apt to come out and support us.So why is the district facing this deficit and going for the levy? Blalock says its all because of state funding cuts to public schools, which lost them over $6 million.Were a district that receives about 40 percent of our funding from the state, so when the state cuts our funding, you know we really dont have another choice but to go out to our taxpayers, said Blalock.If the levy fails in November, Dr. Blalock says cuts this time will have to be much deeper.Youre looking at us cutting more teachers, up to 10 teachers, and now we have to start looking at extracurricular activities, said Dr. Blalock. We live in North College Hill where they dont have a Boys and Girls Club, they dont have a YMCA close, so the North College Hill School District is the hub.Over the last few months, WCPO 9 has heard concerns from residents and those who work in North College about there not being enough places for kids to go after school, or things to do. Dr. Blalock shared those concerns and is scared of the possibility of extracurriculars being cut.Were setting our young, our youth, our students up for failure. Because if they dont have anything to do, theyre gonna hang out, and idle minds, idle hands cause mischief, said Blalock.And its not just a concern for Dr. Blalock; Christel Brown works across the street from North College Hill Intermediate and High School. Shes worried that without athletics or arts for kids to be a part of after school, it will lead to more violence in the streets.When theyre bored, they find things that they have no business finding, you know. theyre angry with each other, theyre fighting with each other, we dont wanna see that. Thats one of the things that weve been trying to calm down, said Brown.Blalock added that another concern is bigger classroom sizes if more teachers are cut, something theyre already seeing this school year. He says this will lead to more work for teachers and less one-on-one help for students with special needs this school year. ...read more read less