Monday, October 19, 2009
By Jon Moffett
A replacement levy and school bond issue are before Austintown voters.
AUSTINTOWN — Township residents will be voting on more than just board members Nov. 3; they also will decide some pocketbook issues.
The Austintown Local School District has a 2.9-mill bond issue on the ballot to raise the local share of a $50 million school expansion project to replace the district’s elementary schools with two new buildings.
One building would house kindergarten through second grade, and the other would house grades 3-5.
The new buildings would be on the sites of Watson Elementary and Frank Ohl Intermediate schools and create a central campus.
The Ohio School Facilities Commission has secured about $23 million, or 47 percent of the total cost. The district would be responsible for the remaining 53 percent, or about $26 million.
“This would pave the way to have new schools and technology for every student, grades K-8,” said Superintendent Vince Colaluca. “It would do a lot for the students, and it would create a flagship of education in Austintown.”
The state money will be available for only one year before those dollars are designated to another district.
The township, meanwhile, has placed a 0.6-mill replacement levy on the ballot, said Administrator Mike Dockry.
He said the purpose of the levy, which will raise $1.25 million over five years, is to replace lost millage from a 0.6-mill levy passed in 1979.
“The value of the township [property] has gone up, so to maintain the revenue at the same amount, the millage dropped to 0.2,” Dockry said. “This will kick it back up to 0.6.”
He said the current 0.2 mills bring about $140,000 into the township each year. If the replacement levy is passed, the township will receive an additional $225,000 per year.
Trustee Dave Ditzler said replacing levy money lost over the years is important because the township will be losing nearly $1 million when tangible personal-property tax is phased out by the state over the next few years.
He said the township needs the levy to recoup those lost funds.
“If it doesn’t pass, it’s just that much more that will have to be scaled back over the next couple years,” he said. “We’re still facing difficulties whether it passes or not. It’s one of those things where it’s a big help if we can get it.”
jmoffett@vindy.com
efranco@vindy.com