FAQ

Public education is the bedrock of our society. Everyone contributes to ensure children receive a good primary education. This prepares kids to pursue apprenticeships, vocational degrees, military service, and other education that allows them to contribute back to society. It also ensures they pay back into the system funding property taxes, schools, Social Security, Medicare, and other essential programs. 

We can look around at other local communities and see the impact of failing schools. Families leave, property values drop, businesses close and take jobs with them, and crime and other social ills increase. The future of Aurora is in all of our hands. We live in a thriving community. Good public schools ensure Aurora continues to thrive and be a great place to live.

We are all in this together.  

This short article does a good job of explaining why Ohio school districts have so many school levies...it comes down to HB (House Bill) 920 passed in the 1970s - https://www.statenews.org/news/2023-11-29/why-ohio-has-more-school-levies-than-any-other-state

In Ohio, school districts rely on different types of local tax levies to raise funds. Each type serves a specific purpose:

1. Bond Issue:

   • A bond issue is used to raise money for long-term capital improvements, such as constructing new buildings, renovating existing ones, or acquiring land.

   • Voters approve the district's ability to borrow a specific amount of money by issuing bonds, which must be repaid over time, typically 20-30 years, with interest.

   • Taxes are collected to pay off the bonds over that period. Bond money cannot be used for daily operational costs or maintenance.

2. Operating Levy:

   • An operating levy generates funds for the day-to-day operations of the school district. This includes paying salaries, benefits, utilities, transportation, and supplies.

   • It is usually a property tax based on millage (rate per $1,000 of assessed property value), and it can be approved for a specific time period or as a continuing levy, which does not expire unless repealed by voters.

   • Operating levies do not cover capital improvements or major building projects.

3. Permanent Improvement Levy:

   • A permanent improvement levy raises funds for long-term maintenance and improvements of district facilities, such as repairing roofs, buying school buses, upgrading technology, or maintaining buildings.

   • The levy is used for items that have a lifespan of five years or more. Funds cannot be spent on operating costs (e.g., salaries or supplies).

   • Permanent improvement levies can also be set for a specific number of years or as a continuous levy.