The stakes are high in these communities but even more so in Butler County’s Ross Schools, which is on the ballot a second, consecutive election after voters there widely rejected the same levy in August.
Some homeowners in the three districts enthusiastically support the proposed school property tax hikes saying they want to maintain the educational quality delivered in recent years by their local schools.
Others, however, cite the worsening national and local economy and the costs of rising inflation as driving their opposition to any new taxes for schools.
Residents in the rural and suburban Ross community will see the same 5-year, 7.99-mill, emergency operating property tax rejected at the polls in August.
Ross school officials have said because of the possible takeover of operational finances by the state due the district’s projected budget shortfalls, they are required by state school finance law to continue to ask residents for more tax money should this levy fail.
Moreover, future school tax issue mileage amounts will be larger and determined by officials from the Ohio Department of Education and Ohio Auditor’s offices unless Ross generates more revenue by voters passing the levy.
Mandy Rice, campaign leader of the pro-Ross levy effort, said she knows the timing during economically tough times is not ideal but the school system, which has made sweeping program and personnel cuts in response to projected deficits and decreasing state funding, has no other option.
Student fees to play school sports have also reached historic highs in the district due to budget reductions.
The August levy loss raised individual school sport “base participation fee” to $825 per sport with no individual student or family fee cap per school year. If the levy had passed, individual sports fee per student would have been $150 per sport with an individual cap of $300 with a family fee cap of $450.
“Our schools’ general operating fund is not able to sustain current capacity, even with the many cuts the district has made,” said Rice.
“Taxes are never easy. There is never a good time for an increase, and this is one of the worst times in recent years to ask for an increase. But I think the difficult ask goes to show how much it is needed,” she said.
“Ross Schools have been a top reason why most families and members of this community have chosen to live here or continue to live here. The value our schools provide, even without currently having children in the district, is unmatched in our area,” she said referencing Ross’ streak of more than a decade as being rated by the state’s annual report as Butler County’s top, overall academic performer.
“But that will quickly change the further the schools go into deficit spending, and the closer they get to the state intervening. A ‘yes’ vote will allow our tax dollars to go straight to our schools rather than to a state run fiscal oversight committee that will determine how high the millage will be on an eventual levy and loan our schools money that must be paid back with interest,” she said.
“I would rather my tax dollars go to the kids of Ross over interest payments to a state issued loan.”
If approved, the new Ross tax would raise the annual property tax cost for the owner of a $100,000 home by $279.65.
But long-time Ross resident Barry Brown said he understands the schools’ dilemma but remains unwilling – he voted “no” on the same tax in August - to raise his taxes.
The problem, he said, is timing.
“Now is not the time. The way the economy is in the big (national) picture of things, we just don’t think it’s a good thing to do right now, for any sort of tax to be honest,” said Brown.
“And I don’t think it will pass. A lot of people are having to re-evaluate what their priorities are and what they can give and take. As a rule, I think most people are saying ‘not right now.’”
Talawanda school officials acknowledge they are also battling the disadvantages of timing during tough economic times for their proposed school tax increase.
Voters in the Oxford-area school system will decide on a 5.7-mill continuing operating tax to help fund daily operations of the district.
If approved at the ballot, the tax would cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $199.50 annually.
Talawanda officials said their district has seen projected budget deficits for the coming years due to Ohio’s new school funding formula.
And increased costs due to inflation.
“Like our community members, we too, are seeing the rising costs of materials, supplies, goods, salaries and benefits found in this difficult time of inflation and possible recession,” said Ed Theroux, superintendent of Talawanda.
“We are in deficit spending like many of our surrounding neighbors but we want to continue the excellence found in Talawanda Schools,” said Theroux, who also cited similar program and personnel budget cuts to reduce the looming budget deficit.
The operating levy, if it wins voter approval, would be the first for the district in 18 years.
“We offer no pay to play fees for our extracurricular activities and we have continued to tighten our belts, but still provide outstanding educational programs and services for all of our students.”
“The new student funding formula from the state was not positive for Talawanda,” said Theroux. “While other districts receive more of a state share per pupil, the simple fact is Talawanda does not receive enough money from our state share to pay for the services, education, and programs found at Talawanda. Difficult decisions will need to be made if the levy is not approved.”
According to Talawanda school parent Sam Morris, there is support in the community that crosses political lines during a highly politicized time locally and nationally.
“I’m encouraged by the high number of moderates and conservatives who tell me that they’re voting for the levy,” said Morris.
“Left-leaners and liberals I expect to hear ‘yes’ from, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised on many occasions to hear ‘yes’ from right-leaners and conservatives.”
“If our levy fails my biggest fear is a mass exit-among our teachers. COVID was very hard on them and their unions have already agreed to two years with 1% and 0% raises. If the skies get darker for our teachers they’ll have less reason to stay. It would be pretty demoralizing, as a teacher, to work through a pandemic, agree to a reduced pay schedule, and then have the very community you serve turn their back on you,” said Morris.
Like Ross and Talawanda, Kings Schools has a history as a top academic district both regionally and statewide.
But the district is also facing projected budget shortfalls in the coming year and school officials said more local tax revenue is needed to maintain Kings’ educational quality.
Officials also cite the changed state school funding formula for its worsening finances, which now has the district in the preliminary stage of review by the Ohio Department of Education.
Toss in a growing enrollment as more families with school-age children move into the district’s Deerfield Twp., Landen, Kings Mills and South Lebanon neighborhoods and it’s a problem solved only by more local tax money, said Kings officials.
Kings’ voters will decide on a 6.4-mill property tax increase that would cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $224 annually.
“Our high-performing district has fallen victim to the unfair school funding model,” said Kings Treasurer Mike Morrow.
“Efficient spending has helped extend the last levy’s length by an additional three years, including cost reductions of $1.6 million without reducing services for our students. We spend less per pupil than over half of the districts in the state while being state funded in the bottom 13% of the state. However, since the passage of the last operating levy, Kings enrollment has increased by 597 students resulting in increased expenses,” said Morrow.
“We have a revenue problem, not a spending problem,” he said.
But life-time Kings resident Carl Britain said he’ll vote against the school tax because “I already pay enough” in local taxes.
Britain, a graduate of Kings, said price inflation is behind his “no” vote.
“Everything is going up but my paycheck.”
But Kings school parent Gregory Harris said he’ll cast a ‘yes’ vote for the levy “for the future of the school district.”
The mood in the school community about the tax issue is “very positive,” said Harris.
“It’s a great school district and the majority of the ‘yes’ vote will come from those who have students in the school and we want want the district to be successful so it’s something that to be done.”
ELECTION 2022
Read more about this November’s ballot issues.
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