Voters overwhelmingly support school levies in Columbus area

All but one Columbus-area school levy was approved by voters Tuesday night, with voters in the Granville Exempted Village School District rejecting a levy there.

Overall, voter support for school levies in the general election was widespread by a margin of around 10 percentage points or just under that. But a replacement levy in New Albany-Plain Local Schools passed by a margin upwards of 28 percentage points.

Many of the levies will be used for building repairs, upgrades and maintenance, while others will go towards districts' operating funds.

Ohio Education Association President Scott DiMauro said the ballot issues in each district have their own nuances that typically make them either easier or harder to pass — like how well each levy campaign is run by a district, how many people have school-aged kids in each district, and more.

But DiMauro said seeing so many levies and bond issues passed in the Columbus area — and around 73% of issues statewide passing according to the Ohio School Boards Association — is still surprising, especially he said many people have been concerned recently about inflation and increasing cost of living.

"That tends to make it harder to pass issues when you're asking people to increase what they're paying out of their pockets in taxes to support schools," DiMauro said. "The fact that these issues passed at such a high rate I think shows how much people really do value their communities, and really value their schools, and really want those opportunities for their children."

But if you missed The Dispatch's live election coverage Tuesday night, do not worry — we have you covered. Here's a roundup of how the school levies in the Columbus area, with the Franklin County Board of Elections still yet to certify the results.

New Albany-Plain Local Schools

Voters approved New Albany-Plain's levy by a margin of 28 percentage points, with 64% supporting and 36% against the levy, according to final, unofficial results. The district also includes some residents of Licking County, but according to the Licking County Board of Elections website, there were no votes cast for the levy.

The 1.75-mill levy would last for five years beginning this year, with residents paying about $61 per $100,000 in home value as opposed to what they previously paid at about $62.

More:New Albany-Plain Local Schools levy overwhelmingly passes

The new levy will continue to help with such things as repairs to parking lots and roofs; new school buses; technology infrastructure; and security upgrades to cameras, district officials said.

“The school district will continue to demonstrate fiscal responsibility as we repair, maintain, and replace these capital assets on our school campus during the next 5 years,” the district said in a message to families Wednesday morning. “Your efforts and the support of our taxpayers will benefit students attending the New Albany-Plain Local Schools for years to come.”

Upper Arlington City Schools

A 6.9-mill operating levy for Upper Arlington City Schools passed with 54% of voters supporting and 46% voters against it, according to unofficial results.

The operating levy will increase property taxes by around $241.50 annually per $100,000 of home valuation, according to district Treasurer Andrew Geistfeld.

More:Upper Arlington City Schools levy passes

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

The levy will pay for operating expenses such as teacher salaries, instructional and pupil support, technology and transportation. It would also help the district grow its budget reserve from 13% of its annual operating expenses to 17% of annual operating expenses, according to district spokesperson Karen Truett.

“We are truly grateful for our community’s commitment to excellence in education for the students of Upper Arlington,” Board of Education President Lori Trent said in a message to families Tuesday night. “The passage of Issue 5 ensures that we will be able to continue to provide a comprehensive academic program, extracurricular opportunities to enhance our students’ experience and the support that they so need to succeed in school and in life.”

Worthington City Schools

Voters in the Worthington City Schools district passed both its ballot items: a packaged levy and bond issue, and an additional incremental operating levy.

The packaged levy and bond issue was approved 56% to 44%, while the additional levy passed 53% to 47%, according to unofficial results.

The packaged levy issue included a $234 million bond issue and a 1.9-mill continuing permanent-improvements levy that would help fund building improvements to the district's two high schools — Thomas Worthington and Worthington Kilbourne.

More:Worthington City Schools packaged issue and additional levy appear to have voter approval

Both schools would receive upgrades to HVAC and roofing through the bond issue, but also improvements to district middle schools as a part of the first phase of the district's facilities master plan.

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

The additional incremental operating levy would begin with an additional 2.9 mills in 2023, along with three 2-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.

The additional levy would help fund district operating expenses.

Fairfield County

Pickerington Local Schools voters approved the district’s 2.8-mill bond issue that would generate about $89.93 million plus the needed interest up to 37 years, according to unofficial board of election results.

Fifty-seven percent of Fairfield County voted for the bond issue, and 56% of voters in Franklin County voted for the bond issue.

More:Pickerington Local School District bond issue passes

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

Starting January 2023, homeowners will pay $1,053 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.

The levy renewal for Walnut Township School District failed with 51% of voters voting against it, according to unofficial results from the Fairfield County Board of Elections.

The levy was intended to cover operating expenses, so the district will be without a major source of funding.

Delaware County

The Delaware City Schools' 5.8-mill substitute renewal levy passed easily, according to the Delaware County Board of Election's final unofficial results.

Sixty-one percent of voters were in favor of the issue, with 39% opposed, according to unofficial results.

More:Delaware City Schools substitute renewal levy passes

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, and was 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 County

Voters narrowly approved the Madison-Plains Schools 2.5-mill permanent improvement renewal levy, according to the final unofficial board of election results.

Fifty-two percent of voters in Madison County voted for the levy and 52% of voters in Franklin County voted against the levy. Only two precincts in Franklin County had the bond issue on the ballot.

More:Madison-Plains School levy appears to narrowly pass

The original levy passed in 1987 and it has been consistently renewed every five years. The renewal will generate an estimated $400,761 in annual revenue, said Todd Mustain, district treasurer.

Jefferson Local School District substitute levy passed with 56% of voters approving the tax levy, according to the final unofficial board of election results. This will not raise taxes, according to the district’s website.

Licking County

Levies in several Licking County school districts were not as favored as in other counties.

Lakewood Local School District passed its 10.3-mill, 10-year tax levy with unofficial results being 52% for and 48% against the levy. However, the Granville schools permanent income tax renewal was rejected by its voters, failing 58% to 42%.

The district sought to renew the levy for a continuing period of time, meaning permanently. It was also seeking the same 0.75% that was originally passed.

District Superintendent Jeff Brown said Tuesday night said he was disappointed with the results but that the district will likely try again in May.

"I think it is important to recognize that for the Granville schools to go a full year without understanding the future of their fiscal status, that will cause a disruption in the school and in our organization, our ability to recruit and retain teachers and staff members," he said.

Information from the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette and the Newark Advocate was used in this report. 

mhenry@dispatch.com

@megankhenry

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Levies in Greater Columbus area overwhelmingly pass during election night