4 school districts seek funds on ballot Tuesday

8/2/2009

Tuesday's local balloting will include a police levy in Monroe County's Erie Township and tax requests from four area school boards: Oregon City, Woodmore Local, Pike-Delta-York Local, and Findlay City.

Erie Township trustees are asking voters to replace a 1-mill, 10-year levy to fund the police department. The levy would produce about $140,000 annually, of which the township could collect $131,500 under a state rollback. The owner of a $100,000 home would pay about $50 annually.

The Oregon school board is asking voters to approve a 5.95-mill, 10-year emergency levy that would generate $3.6 million annually for operations. If approved, the owner of a $100,000 home would pay an additional $182 per year.

The Woodmore board's request is for a 5.9-mill emergency operating levy that would replace a 4.9-mill levy expiring at the end of the year. It would raise $829,000 annually and cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $47 annually.

The Pike-Delta-York board is seeking to raise $900,000 per year in operating funds for five years with a 6-mill emergency levy. The money would fill 60 percent of the district's projected budget deficit.

The Oregon, Woodmore, and Pike-Delta-York districts have been hurt by House Bill 66, which is phasing out the personal tangible property tax on business equipment and inventory. Officials in the districts said they understand that a tax hike in the current economy could impose hardship.

The Findlay City School board's request is for a 4.4-mill, 28-year bond issue, the proceeds of which would be used to build and equip two new middle schools and a new Millstream Career and Technology Center at a cost of $54.2 million. The millage would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $135 per year.

Polling places in Ohio will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. In Michigan, voting hours will be from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.