GREENVILLE — Voters residing within the Greenville City Schools District will have an opportunity to vote “yea” or “nay” on a school levy renewal. It will be shown as Issue 6 on the local ballot.
The original 5.50-mill levy was first approved by voters in March 1996 and has been brought to the ballot five times with successful passage by the voters of the school district ever since.
Based upon figures provided by the Darke County Auditor, the annual revenue received from the levy is estimated at $1,882,700.
The ballot language reads as such:
“PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL)
GREENVILLE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage
A renewal of a tax for the benefit of the Greenville City School District FOR THE PURPOSE OF CURRENT EXPENSES, at a rate not exceeding five and one-half (5.50) mills for each one dollar ($1.00) of valuation, which amounts to fifty-five cents ($0.55) for each one hundred dollars ($100.00) of valuation, for five (5) years, commencing in 2016, first due in calendar year 2017.”
Renewing the levy will neither increase nor decrease the rate of property taxation, although a property owner’s annual tax amount may vary slightly from year to year based upon their property’s yearly valuation assessment.
This levy is used for general school operations such as district maintenance, school buses, school books, and teacher and staff salaries.
Greenville School District Treasurer Carla Surber said, “The support that the community gave to Greenville Schools back in 1996, and the subsequent renewals of this levy have been crucial to the operation of the district.
“This levy has maintained jobs and programs during times when the district was facing deficit spending. The state funding stream provides less than half the dollars for the district, which makes tax levies very important. State funding changes every two years with legislation and is less dependable than the tax base.”
“This levy is still very important and will not change anyone’s current taxes. For the last two decades, it has made the difference for those attending our schools and has helped supplement educational change by supplying an extra $1.8 million in revenues for the school district. The community needs to be thanked for its continued support, and encouraged to vote on November 3,” Surber added.