A: An 8.9 mill operating levy. If the March levy is successful, the Board of Education has committed to reducing the effective tax rate of the 8.9 mill levy to 7.9 mills by tapping into the District’s debt fund and paying off the middle school expansion project from 2007 earlier than required.
A: The 8.9 millage amount is the lowest possible amount that will help maintain current operations. It comes amid district-wide reductions that keep the millage amount as low as possible for voters while still maintaining a similar level of programs and services.
A: The levy will cost residents $23.04 per month per $100,000 home value. This cost reflects the reduction of the effective tax rate to 7.9 mills. The collection would begin in 2021.
| Home Value | Taxable Value (35% of Home Value) |
Estimated Cost* Per Month |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $17,500 | $11.52 |
| $100,000 | $35,000 | $23.04 |
| $150,000 | $52,500 | $34.56 |
| $200,000 | $70,000 | $46.08 |
| $250,000 | $87,500 | $57.60 |
| $300,000 | $105,000 | $69.13 |
*The estimated cost in this column reflects the reduction of the effective tax rate to 7.9 mills. The Board of Education has committed to reducing the effective tax rate of the 8.9 mill levy to 7.9 mills by tapping into the District’s debt fund and paying off the middle school expansion project from 2007 earlier than required.
A: It has been 10 years since we last passed an operating levy. The district’s five-year forecast shows the need for either continued cuts and reductions or the passage of an operating levy. To maintain our Triple A experience, current programs, staff and opportunities, additional funding is needed and we cannot delay placing a request before voters any longer.
We have now stretched this levy cycle for as long as possible and find ourselves at a critical financial crossroad.
A: The district is serious about reducing expenses by proactively making cuts and reductions right now, which will reduce the impact to voters in the March levy. The plan includes more than $3 million in reductions, including not filling retired positions, reductions in professional development, slashing all building and department budgets by 25%, and deferring or canceling purchases for new school buses, supplies and other materials.
A: If the levy passes, Olmsted Falls will be able to maintain our Triple A excellence that is a hallmark for our community. This experience includes the ability to offer a wide range of activities and an all-inclusive approach to education. It also includes the excellent teaching and smaller class sizes we have become accustomed to and the ability to offer up-to-date resources and technology that is comparable to other top-rated districts in the state.
This operating levy will generate $5,189,000 per year for the school district.
A: If the levy does not pass, then we have to reduce our budget in the near future. That means our schools would have to cut programs and services and reduce opportunities for students.
A: Money from community partnerships has been a huge benefit to Olmsted Falls City Schools, but the budget is stretched thin and more is needed to maintain our current standards. We are very thankful for our community partnerships and hope they continue, but they make up only a small part of our budget.
A: The Permanent Improvement levy and the Bond Issue were both important funding sources for Olmsted Falls Schools, but those serve different purposes than the Operating Levy that is on the ballot for March of 2020. The Permanent Improvement levy that passed in 2011 was used for repairs, lasted 5 years and has expired. The bond issue and PI that were passed in 2016 did not raise taxes. The bond issue was used for construction at the high school and the Permanent Improvement Levy is being used for repairs throughout the district. The money from the bond issue and the PI cannot be used for operating expenses.
An operating levy generates funds for the day-to-day operations of the school district like staffing, utilities, and supplies. The funding from this operating levy would allow Olmsted Falls to maintain our Triple A excellence that our community has come to expect. Our last operating levy was passed in 2010.
A: No. The school district has totally separate funding sources from the county, township and city. There is no crossover with those revenue streams.