Fairborn passes levy renewal

FAIRBORN — Unofficial final election results Tuesday indicated that Fairborn residents had voted in favor of a 7-mill continuous levy for Fairborn City Schools.

Voters in favor of the levy were ahead 987-758 at press time. The total includes ballots from Montgomery County residents who live in the Fairborn School District.

The levy is a renewal of a substitute levy that was first passed in 2007, and renewed by Fairborn voters in 2012 and 2016. This vote makes the existing substitute levy permanent, and it will not have to be renewed in five years.

“Fairborn City Schools is very pleased with the levy results so far this evening, and it seems the majority of votes so far will pass our levy renewal,” Superintendent Gene Lolli said Tuesday night.

Lolli emphasized that the levy would not increase personal property tax, and the money would be used for “continuing our improvements to our schools.”

“I want to thank Fairborn voters, and let them know we will continue to be good stewards of the public’s money,” Lolli said.

Initially valued at $5 million, according to the ballot, this levy will not increase existing property taxes, but could potentially increase revenue for the district by applying the tax to any new construction.

The 7-mill renewal is reduced from the original 8.6 mills that was passed in 2007. The renewal millage was dropped to 8.4 in 2012, and the proposed 7 mills is the lowest renewal amount to date.

The money generated from the levy will go towards the “necessary requirements of the school district,” such as operating costs and maintenance. It will not go towards the construction of the new high school and middle school.

“To go 14 years without an increase in property taxes for the schools, with the exception of monies for new buildings, is unusual with the funding structure for public schools in Ohio,” school board president Pat McCoart said previously.

In November 2020, the district passed a 5.83 mill bond issue for the construction of a new $76 million high school, located on Commerce Center Boulevard. By passing that bond issue, Fairborn schools are now eligible for $33 million through the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission ELPP program.

By London Bishop

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Reach London Bishop at 937-502-4532 or follow @LBishopFDH on Twitter.

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