2,220 / 42.01% Yes votes ...... 3,064 / 57.99% No votes

See Also: Index of all Issues

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Auditor - November Election Tax Levy Estimates

Explanation of Three Rivers School Issues 45 and 46

Issue 45 and 46 are tax referendums asking voters to reduce tax millage that was approved in past years. Under Ohio l aw, referendums seeking to repeal continuous schools levies, which collect taxes indefinitely, can be challenged only once every five years.

Issue 45 was put on the ballot by anti-tax activists to eliminate a school levy passed in 2000. It is a decrease in the rate of levied tax from 7.89 mills to 0 mills. This levy raised $2.8 million annually. If passed, the income would be reduced to zero.

Issue 46 was placed on the ballot by parents who support the school system. This referendum reduces the tax millage by 0.01 mill, the state minimum. This was done as a defensive strategy to prevent anti-tax activists from filing referendums on these levies.

The Three Rivers School District's Approach is that the voters should vote against all of the proposals. This would allow the levies that have already been passed to be protected for a five year period and generate funds during this time. Normally school administrators may not actively work for levies, however the schools contend that may legally work against these issues since they are protecting what has already been passed.

In a June 17 Enquirer article, "John Janszen, one of the anti-tax activists pushing for the elimination of the Three Rivers 2000 levy, complained that the district is blocking the right of residents to challenge school levies..."

Three Rivers Local School District