LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Property Tax Crisis – Schools Are Not To Blame

*Graphs compare 1975 and current year, showing how dependency upon local tax payers has increased over time.

Dear editor:

School consolidation is a topic of discussion because the Ohio legislature’s current school funding laws are heavily reliant on local property taxes. Lake County Auditor, Chris Galloway, responded to our recent consolidation letter by reaffirming his support of school consolidation.

Here’s the truth, some officials believe true savings will only be realized when school buildings are closed and local identities are stripped away.

This is why our school communities will continue to receive information from the Fulton County superintendents; not to scare you, but to inform you of what’s going on at the state and local levels regarding your child’s public education.

This is not a joke or an exaggeration of facts. We believe this topic of consolidation is just one of the many ways the state legislature is trying to dismantle Ohio’s public education system. It all starts with the information displayed in the graphs below.

You will see that decisions from our legislators in Columbus have shifted the tax burden to our local tax payers. As a result of legislative mandates, the reliance on local tax revenue has increased significantly since 1975.

Less state funding means more money is needed from our local communities in order to maintain the level of education our students deserve. This is a broken system created by legislators now weaponizing property tax reform against public school districts and your voting rights.

They are literally pitting our homeowners against the very schools that are the heart of our communities while holding hostage the quality of education our children receive.

The Ohio Educational Policy Institute released a property tax policy analysis, entitled Analysis of Residential Property Taxes in Ohio: A Balanced Approach to Reform, that illustrates how Ohio’s reliance on local control, along with economic factors and state tax policy changes, has led to a significant shift in the state-local funding partnership toward residential taxpayers.

*Graphs compare 1975 and current year, showing how dependency upon local tax payers has increased over time.

Key Takeaways
-Rising home values, slow economic growth and 20 years of state tax policy changes have intensified local school funding challenges.

-Homeowners and farmers now carry 67.5% of school property taxes, up from 46.1% in 1975. Meanwhile, the business share has nearly been cut in half.

-Cuts and eliminations of state taxes have reduced state support, forcing schools and local governments to raise property taxes, leaving Ohio with the eighth-highest property tax rate nationally. In contrast, the state’s overall tax burden ranks 46th.

Why it Matters
This imbalance creates growing pressure on communities and limits how schools can fund essential services for students.

Stay tuned for the next Your Rights Matter – School Vouchers

Sincerely,
Dr. Jayson Selgo, Superintendent – Archbold Area Schools; Mr. Eric Smola, Superintendent – Evergreen Local Schools; Dr. Angela Belcher, Superintendent – Fayette Local School District; Mr. Josh Clark, Superintendent – Pettisville Schools; Mr. Doug Ford, Superintendent – Pike-Delta-York Local School District; Mr. Chris Lake, Superintendent – Swanton Local School District; Mr. Troy Armstrong, Superintendent – Wauseon Exempted Village School District

Source: The Village Reporter