Feb. 5 was the deadline for schools, cities, townships and other government entities to file levy requests with their county boards of elections. Some of those issues have already been certified to the ballot, and the others will be certified in the next two weeks.
Very few candidate races will be on the May ballot, and the most prominent of those — the primary for Dayton mayor and city commission — has a later filing deadline, March 7, per the city’s charter, so it’s not clear yet who will be running.
There are a small handful of races where the candidate filing deadline was last week — city offices in Huber Heights, Miamisburg and Troy, as well as municipal court judge races around the region — but many of those will go uncontested, with only one candidate running.
School tax/bond levies
Two of the most prominent school tax issues are in districts seeking to upgrade their facilities.
The Beavercreek school district is asking voters to approve the same 37-year, 4.9-mill bond issue that voters rejected in November. The money would pay to build a new high school and renovate other buildings as school officials say they need to adjust for expected growth.
For Oakwood’s 33-year, 4.74-mill bond issue, school officials say 85% of the money would pay to update to Smith (1929) and Harman (1908) elementary schools, plus some targeted projects at Oakwood High School/Junior High School and Lange School.
In Huber Heights, school officials are asking for a $7.8 million, 6.9-mill levy that would cost $241.50 per $100,000 in appraised property values. School officials say the district is expected to begin deficit spending this year and would see large deficits in spending in the next few years. But many Huber Heights residents have posted on social media worried about any new increase in taxes.
Northmont schools is seeking a 3.44-mill, $3.5 million, 10-year operating levy. The levy would cost homeowners $120 per $100,000 in property valuation a year. School officials say the new money is needed to maintain the district’s current offerings. The district last made cuts after two levies failed in 2023.
Mad River Schools voters will see a permanent, additional, 2.9 mills for permanent improvements. the same levy the district put on the ballot last year and did not pass.
Jefferson Twp. schools, one of the smallest districts in the state, is asking for an additional, 1.5% earned income tax. The levy is expected to generate about $1.4 million per year and would cost someone earning $50,000 and living in the district $750 annually, according to the district. The funds would go toward operating expenses such as electricity, heat and salaries.
Franklin Schools, which has asked multiple times for new money to cover current school expenses, is seeking a five-year, additional, 6.301 mills for operations. Franklin has one of the lowest cash balances in the area, according to previous Dayton Daily News analysis of local districts. The district’s treasurer said it has been 11 years since the last new money levy passed.
The Milton-Union school district is asking voters to approve an additional, five-year, 0.75% earned income tax, after residents rejected three different tax requests by at least 60-40 ratios since November 2023. School district officials said voters have not passed a tax levy for new operating money in over 15 years. If this 0.75% income tax levy passes, it would cost someone with $50,000 in annual taxable income $375 in tax.
The other school tax issues on the May ballot are renewals of existing taxes — a property tax levy in Tipp City, and income tax levies in Bethel and New Lebanon.
City/township/other tax levies
Some smaller Greene and Warren County communities are seeking tax increases for public safety.
In southern Greene County, residents in the neighboring communities of Bellbrook and Sugarcreek will decide on property tax levies.
In Warren County, city of Franklin voters will decide on an increase in fire department funding in the same election when their school district is seeking more money, too.
New levies:
* Franklin city — Permanent, additional, 4.9 mills, for fire service
* Bellbrook city — Permanent, additional 2.2 mills for public safety
* Sugarcreek Twp. — Five-year, additional, 1 mill for fire service
* German Twp. — 10-year, additional, 4 mills for fire & EMS service (entire township)
* Harveysburg — Five-year, additional, 2.5 mills, for police service
* Troy-Miami County Public Library — Five-year, additional, 1 mill, for current expenses
There are several other renewal and replacement levies and taxes across the region.
