Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

operating levies cannot increase

Operating levies are limited to the amount voted upon and do not increase as the valuation increases. For example if we vote 2 million dollar increase in tax burden in an operating levy, then they can collect only 2 million per year nothing more period without voter approval.

IF the tax burden is divided by 100 households being taxed when voted upon, then five years later the 2 million amount is divided by 200 households, an increase of 100 homes, technically the first 100 should see a decrease in their rate.

What does increase is the income tax collection if, in fact, the total income of the community RESIDENTS increases. Remember this school income tax is only paid by district residents, it does not include employees that may work in the district boundry limits.

For years the schools have fought to have the state law that limits the collection of the operating monies to the voted amount only, which allows no increases of the total amount collectable due to reappraisal or increased valuation changs. If that law was changed, they would not have to come to the ballot so often but, and this is a big BUT_..... you would definitely pay more taxes without voting for the increase. The current system requires some type of accountability, the effectiveness of which is debatable on both sides.

I agree

In a very real sense, the current school funding crisis began in the 1970's (I believe) when a court ruled that the school districts could only collect the amount of property tax they stated they would need for the agreed upon length of time for each issue passed. Prior to that, as inflation increased the property valuations, the schools were being given an unvoted increase in the amounts they collected. I shudder to think what our taxes might be had that system not been ruled illegal.

Memory Refresh

Please let me reiterate something I posted before the election --

I specifically asked Dr. Thiede if my assumption that if the levy passed there would be an immediate operating levy put on the ballot. He said yes, that would happen. Then I asked how much and for what purposes would that operating levy be for.

Dr. Thiede?’s answer was that the operating levy would be for the new school, the expanded schools and to add operating monies to the rest of the schools. The operating levy millage would be higher than the amount that was on the ballot this time.

Now I am no financial genius and I can?’t even say I understand all of the previous postings, but is the millage in question for operations calculated the same as construction? In other words, if I am going to see $300 or so added to my taxes for this venture, can I expect another $300 for operations?

We need the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. How much TOTAL will passing their proposed levy REALLY cost us? Construction ?– operation ?– and any other things that they will need money for.

Maybe for once, if they tell the whole story, they can garner some additional support. Enough to overcome a 2-1 vote against? Probably not, but they may be much less embarrassed next time.