COST & TAXES

Issue 4 authorizes the bonds to be repaid over a maximum of 37 years. 

No. Bond proceeds are legally restricted to the capital projects listed in the ballot language, including construction, renovations, equipment, infrastructure improvements, and site work. They cannot be used for salaries, educational programs, or the district’s routine operating expenses.

The District already uses its approximately $880,000 annual permanent improvement levy to maintain facilities, replace equipment, and complete necessary repairs. It also sets aside $200,000 each year to prepare for future turf, track, and bus replacements. Saving for major projects would take decades, while aging infrastructure would continue to deteriorate and become more expensive to repair or replace. 

Leighton was built around 2000 utilizing District General Funds and a portion of each year’s Permanent Improvement Funds for roughly 25 years, as the district was not able to pass bond levy attempts at that time.  While this approach allowed the Aurora City School District to deal with a population boom and the need to build a new elementary school, it created a situation where proactive maintenance was not possible due to a lack of available funds, which were dedicated to ongoing Leighton loan payments. Now that Leighton is paid off, the District can dedicate $200,000 annually to future turf, track, and bus replacements. However, it remains in a reactive mode as it works to address years of deferred maintenance. Issue 4 would allow the District to address urgent needs now and take a more proactive, responsible approach to maintaining its facilities for the future.

If the OFCC ultimately contributes funding, the district would be eligible for an estimated 14% credit (approximately $13 million) toward approved construction costs from the state of Ohio. This credit could be used for early payment of the bond or future capital improvements. This potential funding is not guaranteed and would be determined at a future date. But if successful, could be helpful to future infrastructure investments and desired updates. 

No. A reappraisal changes property values, but it does not automatically give the District the same percentage increase in revenue. Issue 4 is designed to collect the amount needed to make the scheduled bond payments, and the county auditor calculates the rate across the district’s total tax base. As the overall tax base grows, the effective rate needed to make those payments may decrease.