Superintendent Doug Fries
This fall on Election Day, our school district will have a renewal emergency operational levy on the ballot. This levy will have no new taxes but is simply the renewal of an existing 4.15 mill tax levy that has been in existence since 2012. Again, this renewal levy will appear on the November 2, 2021 ballot as approved by the board of education and it represents no new taxes, just a continuation for another ten-year cycle for what exists in our current operational cycle. This renewal levy would also allow the homestead reduction factor to continue for qualifying residents.
The election day renewal levy will appear on the ballet as issue 17. This levy was first approved in March 2012. This levy represents no change in taxes, since it receives no inflationary increases with values. It brings approximately $1,640,000.00 to the district annually and supports education within our district.
The levy is for general operations. This money has always been spent for district maintenance, school buses, school books, technology, salaries, and daily operations.
Some additional facts to consider:
• Over the past eight years the district has become a one-to-one technology district providing iPad devices for every student and teacher in the district. This is provided totally by district general funds or grants. No technology fee has ever been assigned to any family. The one-to-one devise implementation supported our remote learning and the establishment of our Canvas Learning Management System the past two years.
• Two years ago, the district refinanced the bonds at the K-8 building and the high school renovation. In restructuring the financing at both buildings, the district tax payers saved 18.35% over the life of the bonds. This is an overall savings to the district tax payers on the K-8 building project and high school renovation of $10,528,594.00 again over the life of the bonds. District tax payers saw a reduction on their recent tax settlement because of the refinancing.
• During the pandemic last summer our teachers, transportation employees, food service personnel, custodians, and administrators worked together to provide free summer school academic recovery for 220 students. Students went to summer school with no charge for curriculum tuition, transportation, or lunch.
• Our district does not incorporate an athletic pay to participate fee. We are working hard to maintain this practice so all kids can participate in sports without an established fee. More than half the schools in the Miami Valley League have such a fee.
• Remember, passage of the renewal emergency levy would continue the homestead reduction factor for qualifying tax payers in the community. There will be no new taxes from passage of this levy.
Please be sure to vote in the November 2nd election. Issue 17 is the renewal issue for Greenville City Schools.