Kettering, Oakwood have renewal levies on ballot

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By Jill Kelley, Staff Writer 11:18 AM Thursday, October 13, 2011

B Kettering and Oakwood each have a levy on the ballot for Nov. 8. Both are renewals, and neither would increase taxes.

In Kettering, residents will vote on a five-year, 0.6-mill permanent improvement renewal levy for Kettering City Schools.

The levy costs the owner of a $100,000 home about $14 each year, and raises about $700,000 annually.

Ken Lackey, the district’s business director, discussed the levy at last week’s Kettering Board of Education meeting.

He said the levy, which was first approved in 1987, can only be used for capital improvements or repairs to buildings, vehicles and equipment on items with a five-year or greater expectancy.

This includes everything from desks and chairs — which cost $4,000 per classroom — to kilns for art classes, musical instruments, career technology equipment, HVAC equipment, roof repairs, etc.

“It really is a bargain for the taxpayers,” Lackey said.

Funds from this levy cannot be used for operational costs, such as salaries and benefits or supplies and materials.

Kettering City Schools has 16 buildings, including 12 schools with 550 classrooms, on 234 acres of property. The district also maintains 60 buses and 15 maintenance vehicles.

In Oakwood, the city is asking for the renewal of a five-year, 2.72-mill levy that would continue to cost the owner of a $100,000 home $44.38 per year.

The levy, which originated in 1991, would bring in $457,048 for current expenses and the general operation of the city.

Oakwood City Manager Norb Klopsch said the city weighed whether to put a replacement levy on this ballot instead of the renewal to make up close to $3 million lost from state cuts, including reductions to the local government fund and the repealing of the estate tax.

Officials instead decided to ask for the renewal levy and then conduct gatherings at residents’ homes starting in January to discuss the city’s financial needs and possible solutions.

“We will highlight the fact that we haven’t raised taxes in 20 years,” said Klopsch, noting that the combination of raising taxes and raising fees for select services, as well as cutting the Public Safety Department, are being  considered.

“If we’re looking for one big thing to do, that would be it,” Klopsch said of the safety department. “If we want a piecemeal approach, if we shut down the community center and give it back to the YMCA, that could cut $300,000.

“If we cut our refuse program, that could save $600,000. The citizens would not pay much less, if anything; they’d just be paying Waste Management, Rumpke or someone else.”

Klopsch said he is open to talk about cooperating with neighboring cities for services, but he added that citizens of Oakwood choose to live there for a reason.

“In large part, it’s because of the schools, but there are many who don’t have kids in school and are here for many other reasons,” Klopsch said. “It is the culture that is Oakwood.

“At the end of the day,” he added, “if the choice is higher taxes, higher fees for services or having to lose some of these things that make our city special, I think the majority of our residents will step up and pay for it.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7325 or jikelley@Dayton DailyNews.com.

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