Each school district asked voters to approve a 37-year property tax to pay for part of school construction, so they could leverage a multimillion-dollar “state share” from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission in the future.
Franklin schools
The Warren County Board of Elections said all Franklin precincts had reported at 10 p.m., and the schools' bond request was ahead by a 55-45 ratio. Some late arriving mail ballots will still be counted, but the bond is ahead by almost 2,000 votes out of 9,500 total, making a change in result highly unlikely.
Franklin hopes to use the local bond funds to build a new high school by fall 2023 and renovate the existing high school into a middle school. A few years later, it would use the state funds to replace its five elementary schools and one early childhood center with three new elementaries.
The Warren County auditor certified Franklin’s ballot issue at 6.52 mills, which would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $228 a year. But Franklin Schools Superintendent Mike Sander said the district has vowed to collect no more than 4.95 mills, which would cost $174 annually on that $100,000 home.
Xenia schools
With 57% of all possible registered voters' ballots counted at 10 p.m., voters were rejecting Xenia schools' bond request, by a 52.5 to 47.5 ratio.
Xenia’s 2.6-mill bond issue would generate $36 million for construction of a replacement for Warner Middle School, costing residents an estimated $91 per year for a $100,000 home. Superintendent Gabe Lofton said the estimated $16 million state share later would either be used to pay off that debt, or pay for renovation of Xenia High School.
In 2009, Xenia voters approved a bond issue that paid for five new elementary schools. But in 2016-17, when the district asked voters for another bond to build a new middle school-high school complex, they were rejected three times.
Lofton said the new request is only to replace the 58-year-old middle school (on land between Warner and Arrowood Elementary) because a two-year community input process identified that as the district’s biggest need.
Fairborn schools
With only 41% of all possible registered voters' ballots counted at 10 p.m., voters were solidly approving Fairborn schools' bond request, by a 55-45 ratio.
Fairborn’s 5.83-mill combo bond/levy is estimated to cost the owner of a $100,000 home $204 per year, with the proceeds funding construction of a $65 million to $70 million high school, performing arts center and athletic complex. Fairborn officials say they would eventually use the estimated $33 million in state money to build a new middle school.
In 2016, Fairborn voters approved a separate bond issue to build a new primary school, which opened this year, and an intermediate school, which is starting construction.
Fairborn schools' goal would be to build the new high school (along the east side of I-675), then close the 68-year-old Baker Middle School and move those students to the 1970-era high school until the new middle school could be built near the new high school.
Renewal levies
According to partial, early results, voters were approving all six renewal levies that schools put on the ballot Tuesday. Those levies were in Northmont, West Carrollton, Milton-Union, New Lebanon, Greeneview and the Miami Valley Career Tech Center.
Renewal levies do not increase residents' tax rates, but do extend existing taxes for a longer period of time.
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