Lebanon school board OKs levy for May ballot

The Lebanon City Schools Board of Education voted Tuesday morning to place a renewal tax levy on the May 2017 ballot.

The current three-year levy expires at the end of 2017. The renewal would not raise taxes and would continue to cost property owners $169.40 for $100,000 of valuation, raising $4.2 million annually.

Voters approved the levy in a special election in August 2013.

At a special board meeting at 7 a.m. Tuesday, the school board approved a resolution to place the 4.84 mills renewal operating levy on the May ballot.

The special meeting enabled the board to pass the resolution 90 days before the May 2 election, qualifying the issue for May ballots in the Lebanon school district.

“Our community has a strong record of supporting the school district. The use of renewable operating levies provides a system of checks and balances for our taxpayers. Approval of the May levy will not increase taxes, but will provide a continuation of revenue that the district currently relies on for operations,” Todd Yohey, superintendent of the Lebanon City Schools, said in a press release.

The levy was passed three years ago at 5.38 mills. The decrease in millage rate is an indication that property values in the school district have increased since 2014, according to the release issued after Tuesday’s vote.

“The district is in the process of developing campaign materials to clearly explain the May levy and its ‘zero impact’ on property taxes,” Yohey added.