Westerville City school board seeks new tax levies to finance school work, operations
The Westerville City School Board unanimously approved putting a combined bond-levies issue on the Nov. 5 ballot to finance infrastructure improvements at four older elementary schools and to support its current operating budget.
The bonds would be up to $140 million and have an estimated net average interest rate of 4.5%. The first of two levies, at 1.66 mills, will pay the interest and principal on those bonds, costing $58 in property taxes for every $100,000 in appraised property value over 37 years, which is the maximum maturity of the bonds.
A similar levy, however, will fall off the books at the same time, essentially negating any tax increase from this issue. District Treasurer Nicole Marshall said it would likely result in a slight decrease for taxpayers.
The second levy will increase taxes, however, adding $172 for every $100,000 of appraised value to pay current operating costs. The bond and levy issues will be combined as the same item on Nov 5.
If passed, the Franklin County Auditor's office estimated it will generate $20.8 million annually for current operations, according to the resolution.
Board says funding is necessary to combat state budget cuts, inflation
All five board members made comments on why they supported the resolution before approving it. Comments included how losses in state funding and inflation necessitate the additional money, along with students' growing needs after the COVID-19 lockdown.
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"The state legislature has to do its job to fund public education at the level that is prescribed by our state constitution," Board Member Louise Valentine said at the meeting.
Valentine said it has been a combination of these problems that led the board to vote for this.
Board Member Nancy Nestor-Baker said she was considerate of people's financial struggles, but students need the support.
"I feel like we have been too thin too long in some of our areas where we have seen extensive growth in student need," she said.
Marshall said in an email that Westerville is requesting additional money because of inflationary needs, to remain competitive with other districts so it can retain its staff and to increase student support staff, including staff for special education students and English learners.
If the levy does not pass the district will have to find ways to reassess the $20.8-million shortfall in revenue because it is required by state law to have a balanced budget, Marshall wrote.
Doug Nichols, 55, who resides on Columbus' Northeast Side but within Westerville School District, asked the board to vote against putting the resolution on the ballot.
He questioned the Franklin County Auditor's 2023 reappraisals, calling them inconsistent. He questioned the auditor's use of computer-assisted mass appraisal software.
"Scott Reeves (assistant superintendent of teaching and learning) said at the May 20 board meeting that Westerville Schools had crossed over the 40% poverty level in its student population. Please, seriously consider the question: How will a levy of a 4.9-mills amount impact those families?" Nichols said. "Westerville Schools offers a tremendous good to its students, but there is a real possibility that some number of students at poverty level in the district could be completely cut off from that good if their families lose their homes."
What improvements would the district get?
The bonds raised would be an investment into the district's facilities. A large portion will go to renovations and additions at four of the district's oldest schools: Cherrington Elementary, Huber Ridge Elementary, Blendon Middle School and Walnut Springs Middle School. All four opened in the 1960s.
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Charlie Boss, a Westerville City Schools spokesperson, said in an email to The Dispatch that improvements and additions to these schools was outlined for the public in the district's facility master plan.
The resolution stated that improvements will also be made to safety and security in the district. Boss said the district was able to make it a no-new-millage levy because of efforts to allocate $30 million from existing resources to facility projects.
Have recent Westerville levies fared?
In 2019, the last time the district was on the ballot, Westerville residents passed a similar bond-levy combo with a slim 52% majority, ThisWeek News previously reported. Taxes raised by that financed the construction of Minerva France Elementary School and Minerva Park Middle School, which opened in fall 2022 and fall 2023, respectively. It also helped fund safety and security updates district-wide along with renovations and additions to district elementary schools.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Westerville City Schools to put new tax levies on November ballot
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