REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio — The Reynoldsburg City Schools district is placing a 6.65-mill emergency levy on the November ballot.
District leaders say it began deficit spending in fiscal year 2023, meaning the district was spending more money than it brought in.
The money was being spent on bus fuel, utilities, and salaries for bus drivers, teachers and paraprofessionals, according to school leaders.
Over time, school officials have noticed a greater need for social, emotional and mental health support and academic intervention for students.
“There is a lot more expenses. Prices have gone up for goods and services,” said Dr. Tracy Reed, superintendent of Reynoldsburg City Schools.
The levy will cost $233 per year per $100,000 of property value. For example, if your home costs $300,000, you’ll pay almost $700 a year.
Reed said the district is putting the levy on the ballot because ESSER funds are running out for essential programs.
“Social workers, mental health support. There was funding for summer programs to help with learning loss, after school programs,” she said. “We have a growing population of students who are English language learners. We have students with disabilities and those come with additional services we have to provide."
Reed said the levy money will also be used to help retain staff.
“When we look at salaries, we need to make sure we can be competitive with central Ohio educator salaries,” she said.
The Reynoldsburg Board of Education first discussed the emergency levy in June and voted on July 16 to place it on the ballot.
An emergency levy is a property tax that serves as a limited operating levy (maximum of 10 years) proposed for a specific dollar amount. Because the dollar amount of taxes charged by the levy must stay constant, the millage rate increases or decreases as property values change. Emergency levies may be renewed for the dollar amount originally requested or with an increase or decrease.
This is the first operating levy the district has asked for since 2010, according to school leaders.
“When a school district needs money, we go to the community. Typically when people invest in their schools, their community flourishes. I just encourage people to think about this as an investment in the larger community, as well as in their children and future,” she said.
Reynoldsburg schools will hold in-person community meetings to help answer questions about the levy before the Nov. 5 general election.
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