Woodmore substitute levy on ballot

By: 
Larry Limpf

Voters in the Woodmore School District on May 4 will decide whether they want to approve a substitute levy that merges two existing property tax levies.
One current levy, originally approved by voters in 2011, generates $600,000 annually, and the other, first approved in 2009, generates $829,000 a year.
Both levies have five-year terms. The board of education is proposing to extend that to 10 years and combine them into one issue that collects $1.43 million annually. With voter approval, it would begin collecting under the new format in 2022.
Board members reason a combined levy with a longer term would be better than having to go back to the ballot four times every 10 years as is the case with two five-year levies.
Both of the levies were originally approved as emergency levies, which are structured to generate a fixed dollar amount each year they are in effect. Voters will see ballot language stating the combined levy is for 6.4 mills.
Tim Rettig, district superintendent, said current property owners won’t see any increase in their taxes due to the combining of the levies into one substitute.
“No current property owner pays more because of these two levies,” he said. “This proposed substitute levy allows funding to grow as future real estate development occurs in the district while freezing the level of funding assessed to current property owners.”
Rettig also said the board and administration have no plans to use the levy for large building projects or a performing arts center.
The district’s share of state foundation funding fell by $198,379 in fiscal 2020 from the 2019 fiscal year, said Dan Russomanno, district treasurer, and it was reduced by $89,716 in fiscal 2021 compared to 2019.
Gov. Mike DeWine’s proposed budget for fiscal 2022 restores the funding to fiscal 2019 levels, he said.

Other issues on the May ballot in Sandusky County jurisdictions in The Press circulation area include:
- Sandusky County Board of Development Disabilities will seek renewal of a 2-mill, 5-year operating levy
- Sandusky County Senior Citizen Program will seek renewal of a 1-mill replacement, 5-year levy for providing services and maintaining services.
- Woodville Township will seek renewal of a 0.5-mill, 5-year levy for cemetery maintenance expenses.
- Village of Woodville will seek renewal of a 9.4-mill, 5-year levy for expenses.

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