ELYRIA — Elyria Schools won an overwhelming victory Tuesday when avoters renewed a levy that pays for the district’s nuts and bolts — teachers, books, computers and the like.

For school officials, seeing the results creep up to 64.7 percent of voters in favor was reminiscent of the May 2007 election. At that time, voters overwhelmingly passed the bond issue to build a new $68 million high school, and many cautioned Superintendent Paul Rigda to not get used to such sweeping support.

“People said don’t believe you’re going to get those numbers all the time,’’ Rigda said Tuesday night. “And I said ‘We will if we show the community we know what we are doing.’ ”

And there that threshold was again Tuesday — with 13,482 voters in favor and 7,362 against, according to unofficial election results.

“I’m so proud of the city for understanding the needs of Elyria City Schools,” said Debbie Warden, Issue 37 campaign co-chairwoman. “They support the schools because the administration is good stewards of the community.”

The issue, which pays for operating expenses only, is the first of three renewals the district must pass in order to keep the financial forecast intact until 2012. Without it or the two that will follow in 2009, district Treasurer Fred Stevens said the district would face an insurmountable deficit that would result in cuts.

Tuesday’s passage is a step in the right direction.

However, the district’s financial forecast still calls for a deficit of $9.9 million in 2013.

Contact Lisa Roberson at 329-7121 or lroberson@chroniclet.com.

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