ASHLAND — The Ashland City Schools district is one step closer to placing a permanent improvement levy on the November ballot, following board approval of a resolution declaring the levy necessary Monday night.
The levy is a 1.25-mill permanent improvement levy renewal, which means it will not generate new funds for the district. It goes to voters for renewal every five years.
Voters have passed the renewal each time it’s landed on the ballot since at least 2006, according to a levy results dashboard compiled by the Ohio School Boards Association. The last time it appeared on voters’ ballots in 2020, over 69% of voters approved the levy renewal.
The board first discussed placing the levy renewal on this year’s ballot at its January board meeting. At that meeting, Ashland City Schools Superintendent Steve Paramore expressed gratitude for the community’s support of the levy in the past.
It previously funded several investments in the district’s facilities, including:
- Building the new middle school.
- Upgrades to Community Stadium, like the turf field, press box and community room.
- Building renovations and attempts to rid facilities of asbestos,
Since the board approved a resolution of necessity Monday, the county auditor will now have to certify to the board “… the amount of the renewal levy (based on its effective rate), rounded to the nearest $1, for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s appraised value.”
In recent times, schools’ renewal levies have generally been met with support county-wide. Since 2006, only three renewal efforts have failed at the ballot box. That includes Hillsdale’s first attempt at an operating levy renewal last November.
But, Hillsdale placed that operating levy renewal on May’s ballot, where voters did approve it.
That levy renewal maintains funding for staff and supplies.
