Election: Several Greater Columbus school districts have levies, bond issues on ballot

Several Greater Columbus school districts have school levies on the general election ballot.

New Albany-Plain, Upper Arlington, Worthington, Pickerington, Delaware City and Madison-Plains schools all have issues and levies on the Nov. 8 ballot. Absentee voting begins Oct. 12.

New Albany-Plain Local Schools

New Albany-Plain Local Schools will have a 1.75-mill levy on the ballot that would last for five years beginning this year if approved by voters.

New Albany-Plain Local Schools treasurer Becky Jenkins said that city residents would pay $61.25 per $100,000 in home value as opposed to what they’re paying now at $62.33.

New Albany:New Albany-Plain Local Schools voters will see 1.75-mill replacement levy in November

The district’s previous levy from 2017 is expiring after five years, so the new levy would continue to help with such things as repairs to parking lots and roofs; new school buses; technology infrastructure; and security upgrades to cameras.

“Our buildings are over 20 years old,” Jenkins said. “So because that levy is rolling off and we have 0.75-mills of bond debt that is expiring, now is the time for us to put this back on the ballot.”

Jenkins said that the 1.75-mill levy would bring in just over $2 million for the district for repairs and other improvements.

Upper Arlington City Schools

Upper Arlington City Schools will have a 6.9-mill operating levy on the ballot. The levy would increase the city’s annual property taxes by around $241.50 per $100,000 of home valuation, district treasurer Andrew Geistfeld said.

Homes valued at about $400,000 would amount to an additional $966 a year based on calendar year 2022 tax valuations.

Upper Arlington:Upper Arlington Schools to seek 6.9-mill operating levy in November

District spokesperson Karen Truett said the levy would generate around $16.189 million per year to help pay for operating expenses, such as teacher salaries, instructional and pupil support, technology and transportation. The levy also would help the district grow its budget reserve from 13% of its annual operating expenses to 17% of annual operating expenses.

Worthington City Schools

Worthington City Schools will send two issues to the ballot — a packaged tax levy and bond issue, as well as a separate, additional tax levy.

The packaged issue would include a $234 million bond levy and a 1.9-mill continuing permanent-improvements levy that would help fund building improvements to the district’s two high schools.

Worthington:Worthington Schools bond issue, PI levy, incremental levy headed to November ballot

The bond issue would not only give both Thomas Worthington and Worthington Kilbourne high schools new facilities and amenities, but also upgrades to HVAC and roofing. There would also be improvements to district middle schools as a part of the first phase of its facilities master plan.

The combined ballot issue would cost property owners an additional cost of $101.50 annually per $100,000 of home valuation.

The additional incremental operating levy would start with an additional 2.9 mills in 2023, along with three 2.0-mill increments in the next three years. This would cost an additional $101.50 annually per $100,000, and then an additional $70 per $100,000 of home valuation each year from 2024-26.

This levy would go towards district operating expenses.

“Our revenue is expected to flatten this year when the last installment of the levy that was approved in 2018 is realized,” district Superintendent Trent Bowers wrote in a ThisWeek News column.

Pickerington Local School District

Pickerington has a 2.8-mill bond issue on the ballot that, if approved, would generate about $89.93 million plus the needed interest up to 37 years.

The funds would allow the district to build a third junior high school that could accommodate 1,300 students and renovate Ridgevew Junior High Schools to convert it to a separate K-4th elementary school and 5th-6th grade middle school. This would create an eighth elementary school for 450 students and a fourth middle school for 450 students.

Pickerington:Pickerington school board approves bond issue for November ballot

If the bond issue passes, homeowners beginning in January 2023 would pay $1,053.15 per $100,000 of home value. An increase of 22% in home values would decrease overall effective mills by 13.37%; and the district expects effective mills for tax year 2022 – to be paid in 2023 – to be 30.09 mills.

Passing the bond issue also will qualify the district for $75 million in future funding from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission for future needs at Tussing Elementary School, Harmon Middle School, Diley Middle School, Lakeview Junior High and North High School.

“Ultimately, at the end of the day, this bond issue is almost a two-for-one,” said district treasurer Ryan Jenkins.

Delaware City Schools

Delaware City Schools has a 5.8-mill substitute renewal levy on the ballot.

The district passed an emergency operating levy in 2017 for a five-year period to generate $6.2 million that expires at the end of this year, so it’s up for renewal, said Melissa Swearingen, the district’s treasurer and chief financial officer.

Property owners are currently paying about $203 annually for every $100,000 in valuation, and that rate would stay the same, Swearingen said. The levy would continue to generate $6.2 million dollars annually.

Madison-Plains School levy

Madison-Plains has a 2.5-mill permanent improvement renewal levy on the ballot. The original levy was passed in 1987 and it has been consistently renewed every five years. The renewal would generate an estimated $400,761 in annual revenue, said Todd Mustain, district treasurer.

The permanent improvement levy allows the district to purchase technology and make upgrades to facilities such as roofs, parking lots, sewer plants, heating ventilation, and air conditioning and boilers, said district superintendent Chad Eisler.

Columbus City Schools levy off ballot

Columbus City Schools Board of Education voted at an August school board meeting to take the $680-million, maximum 35-year bond issue and a 4.7-mill permanent improvement levy off the ballot, saying it was a matter of economic timing.

Columbus schools:Columbus City Schools district unveils plan to build five new schools for $297 million

The board has not determined when but members have said they are committed to bringing the bond issue back on the ballot because it would cover Columbus City Schools' local share of the fourth phase of the district's facilities master plan. That plan calls for the district to build five new buildings in the next five years: two high schools, a middle school and two elementary schools.

Information from ThisWeek News was used in this report.

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: School levies: Columbus-area districts asking voters for money