BELLAIRE — Voters in the Bellaire Local School District rejected the five-year, 3-mill levy that would have helped the fiscally challenged school escape its financial woes, unofficial results showed late Tuesday.

“We are very disappointed,” a dejected Superintendent Darren Jenkins said late Tuesday. “Our district’s voters have not passed an additional operating levy since 1976. It would have stabilized our situation.”

School officials had estimated the owner of a house worth $50,000 would have paid just $52.50 more a year. If the owner qualified for the state homestead exemption, the increase would have been cut in half to $26.25.

Still, voters in the district faced with declining enrollment and economic stagnation rejected the levy.

“Where do we go now? That is a good question,” Jenkins said. “The school board will have to examine where we are and make a decision.”

Jenkins said officials had hoped to resume some classes and programs that had been cut in recent years, but will be unable to do so now.

“The ultimate losers here are the district’s students. It is tough now,” he said.

“We are constantly assessing where we are as a district. We always try to become more efficient,” Jenkins added.