Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

hurt the schools borrowing?

If the city is up against this limit, does this not make the community unable to borrow as a whole because the limit applies to the whole community, schools, township, etc.? Pat Stover used to warn of this situation stating that the city was sucking up all the debt cability in the community and that someday the schools would not be able to borrow because of this limit that the city was using up.

Inside millage

This ten mills is called inside millage. If the Schools need to pass an operating levey they can do so. If this levy is outside the 10 mill limit then they must post in the newspaper of record that the issue is outside the limit and allow the voters to decide. Almost all of the operating and capital issues for the PLSD fall outside these 10 mills.

Where it hurts the schools is that the increase millage increases in actual dollar amounts as the property in the total district increases. Where as the outside millage (beyond the ten mills) holds the dollar amounts the same and lowers the individual protery tax assessments for each property. I hope that is understandable.

In Pickerington's case they not only affect PLSD but they also affect Canal Winchester schools because they have over lapping boundaries.

Pickerington needs to face the voters with these issue more often and allow for the schools to get some of the 10 mill limit. This would allow the schools especially in operating levies to get more dollars each year with growth and increased property valuation WITHOUT A GOING TO THE VOTERS FOR MORE MONEY.

I hope I have answered your questions. This is the simple form.

It may be a good idea for the General Assembly to carve out a 10 mil limit for the schools. They require a minimum of 23 mills for the schools so why don't the give just the schools a 23 mill inside millage limit? Exclude the other govrenments in the district. This would help in the operating levy side of the school's budget.

By Dollar Wise

Eminent Domain at Zero Value

Gary,

It's a shame the taxpayers of Pickerington can't claim the land needed to widen the road from the developers at their cost, or better yet at zero. If Dominion, MI, Rockford, et al cause the problem (and they have) they contribute to the fix.

Oh gosh, I've still got those rose colored glasses on.