WEST MILTON — Voters in the Milton-Union Exempted Village School District will vote on a renewal of a 10.9 mill property tax at the Nov. 8 general election. Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

This levy has been in place since 2003. It has been renewed on a limited basis four times since; this is its fifth time on the ballot.

“Therefore, a continuing levy is being proposed this time. Which means, if passed on a continuing basis, it will become a permanent levy. Renewal of this levy will result in zero new taxes,” said Milton-Union Superintendent Brad Ritchey.

This levy represents a renewal of the current property tax rate. While the levy is being renewed at 10.9-mills, the effective rate is 8.54 mills.

“The effective rate must be adjusted down (decreased) so that the levy generates approximately the same dollar amount as when first collected. As property values increase, the millage rate is adjusted,” said Ritchey.

An 8.54 effective rate can be thought of as $8.54 for every $1,000 in property valuation. For a property valued at $50,000, an effective rate of 8.54 mills equates to $427 in property taxes per year or $35.58 a month. For a property valued at $250,000, it equates to $2,135 per year or $177.92 per month. However, these numbers can vary. For an accurate assessment, residents should contact the Miami County Auditor’s Office.

“Renewal of the 10.9-mill levy on a continuing term is not a new money levy and will not increase taxes. A new money levy that increases taxes would still need to be approved by the voters,” said Ritchey.

These funds are typically used for “operating expenses which include, but are not limited to, educational programming, curricular materials, classroom resources, equipment and supplies, and employee salaries and benefits,” said Ritchey.

The exact wording of the levy is as follows:

“A renewal of a tax for the benefit of Milton-Union Exempted Village School District for the purpose of current expenses at a rate not exceeding ten and nine-tenths (10.9) mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to one dollar and nine cents ($1.09) for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for a continuing period of time, commencing in 2023, first due in calendar year 2024.”

“The approximate $1.9 million generated by this levy annually represents approximately 13.2% of the total budget for the district. Without the ongoing continuation of these dollars and to continue to move forward, the district would need to consider staffing levels, make programmatic changes, and discuss operational factors,” said Ritchey.

For more information on property evaluation and school tax levies visit: https://www.miamicountyauditor.org/ and https://www.ohioschoolboards.org/sites/default/files/OSBAUnderstandingLeviesFactSheet.pdf

An informational video on the levy produced by Milton-Union Exempted Village School District can be found here: https://www.muschools.com/article/872027