COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Five central Ohio school districts took levies or bond issues to the ballot on Tuesday, but voters only approved one of them.
Many levies and bonds will express cost in millage, the rate property is taxed in Ohio, rather than a dollar value. A mill is defined as one-tenth of a cent, and millage is the factor applied to a property’s assessed value to calculate tax revenue. The amount in dollars is then typically expressed as how much money someone would own per $100,000 of their home’s appraisal value, which is calculated by each county auditor.
Groveport Madison — Issue 24
With 100% of the precincts counted, Groveport Madison’s 2.33 mills bond issue appears to be headed for failure with 68% of the vote.
The $77.2 million the bond issue would have generated will fund three new middle schools and an addition to Groveport Madison High School. The district fears its current facilities will not be able to keep up with increasing enrollment projections.
The bond issue first failed in November, and the district will now need to consider going to the ballot again later this year, although it fears the cost of renovations will only increase with time. The bond issue would have cost taxpayers $81.55 per $100,000 of their home’s value annually.
Marysville Exempted Village — Emergency levy
With 100% of the precincts counted, Marysville’s 5.5 mills emergency levy appears to be headed for passage with 61% of the vote.
The victory is a big win for Marysville, which faced massive budget cuts and operational changes if it failed. With the $6.8 million the levy will generate, the district will be able to keep their current operations and prevent 30 teachers from being fired.
The ballot victory proved the third time is the charm for Marysville, with its two previous levies both failing. The levy will cost taxpayers $192.50 per $100,000 of their home’s value each year.
Jonathan Alder Local Schools — Bond issue
With 100% of the precincts counted, Jonathan Alder’s 5.12 mills bond issue appears to be headed for failure in a tight vote, losing by just 31 votes.
The district hoped to use the $70.6 million the bond issue would have generated to renovate its facilities. District officials said enrollment is increasing, and they had hoped to build a new high school and junior high.
Without the funds, the Board of Education will consider another bond issue request, although costs may increase with time. The bond issue would have cost most residents $179 per $100,000 of their home’s value annually. Residents on land that qualifies for current agricultural use valuation would have owed $5.22 per acre.
Southwest Licking — Bond issue
With 100% of the precincts counted, Southwest Licking’s 4.2 mills bond issue appears to be headed for failure with 64% of the vote.
Southwest Licking had hoped to use the $115 million bond issue to build a new middle school, athletic facility and high school expansion. Community members voiced concerns about the bond issue after the district got new buildings in 2017, but district officials said those buildings were built with the state and did not adequately consider enrollment projects.
Without the bond issue, the district will have to consider other options or another ballot issue to address capacity concerns. The athletic facility, a collaboration primarily sponsored by the YCMA, will also not be built. The bond issue would have cost taxpayers $147 per $100,000 of their home’s value annually.
Teays Valley Local Schools — Bond issue
With 100% of the precincts counted, Teas Valley’s 3.26 mills bond issue appears to be headed for failure with 69% of the vote.
The $64.39 million the issue would have generated was intended to address growing enrollment. With several classrooms at capacity and $650,000 invested in overflow classrooms, the money would have funded two new intermediate schools to address enrollment. Without the new funds, the district will have to continue spending money on overflow classrooms, which officials estimate could cost more than $20 million over the next 10 years.
Teays Valley taxpayers would have owed $52.50 per $100,000 of their home’s value annually under the new levy.