Section 5705.211. Special levy for school district current operating expenses

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Adjusted charge-off increase" for a tax year means two and two-tenths per cent of the cumulative carryover property value increase.

(2) "Cumulative carryover property value increase" means the sum of the increases in carryover value certified under division (B)(2) of section 3317.015 of the Revised Code and included in a school district's total taxable value in the computation of recognized valuation under division (B) of that section for all fiscal years from the fiscal year that ends in the first tax year a levy under this section is extended on the tax list of real and public utility property until and including the fiscal year that ends in the current tax year.

(3) "Taxes charged and payable" means the taxes charged and payable from a tax levy extended on the real and public utility property tax list and the general list of personal property before any reduction under section 319.302, 323.152, or 323.158 of the Revised Code.

(B) The board of education of a city, local, or exempted village school district may adopt a resolution proposing the levy of a tax in excess of the ten-mill limitation for the purpose of paying the current operating expenses of the district. If the resolution is approved as provided in division (D) of this section, the tax may be levied at such a rate each tax year that the total taxes charged and payable from the levy equals the adjusted charge-off increase for the tax year or equals a lesser amount as prescribed under division (C) of this section. The tax may be levied for a continuing period of time or for a specific number of years, but not fewer than five years, as provided in the resolution. The tax may not be placed on the tax list for a tax year beginning before the first day of January following adoption of the resolution. A board of education may not adopt a resolution under this section proposing to levy a tax under this section concurrently with any other tax levied by the board under this section.

(C) After the first year a tax is levied under this section, the rate of the tax in any year shall not exceed the rate, estimated by the county auditor, that would cause the sums levied from the tax against carryover property to exceed one hundred four per cent of the sums levied from the tax against carryover property in the preceding year. A board of education imposing a tax under this section may specify in the resolution imposing the tax that the percentage shall be less than one hundred four per cent, but the percentage shall not be less than one hundred per cent. At any time after a resolution adopted under this section is approved by a majority of electors as provided in division (D) of this section, the board of education, by resolution, may decrease the percentage specified in the resolution levying the tax.

(D) A resolution adopted under this section shall state that the purpose of the tax is to pay current operating expenses of the district, and shall specify the first year in which the tax is to be levied, the number of years the tax will be levied or that it will be levied for a continuing period of time, and the election at which the question of the tax is to appear on the ballot, which shall be a general or special election consistent with the requirements of section 3501.01 of the Revised Code. If the board of education specifies a percentage less than one hundred four per cent pursuant to division (C) of this section, the percentage shall be specified in the resolution.

Upon adoption of the resolution, the board of education may certify a copy of the resolution to the proper county board of elections. The copy of the resolution shall be certified to the board of elections not later than ninety days before the day of the election at which the question of the tax is to appear on the ballot. Upon receiving a timely certified copy of such a resolution, the board of elections shall make the necessary arrangements for the submission of the question to the electors of the school district, and the election shall be conducted, canvassed, and certified in the same manner as regular elections in the school district for the election of members of the board of education. Notice of the election shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the school district once per week for four consecutive weeks or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code. The notice shall state that the purpose of the tax is for the current operating expenses of the school district, the first year the tax is to be levied, the number of years the tax is to be levied or that it is to be levied for a continuing period of time, that the tax is to be levied each year in an amount estimated to offset decreases in state base cost funding caused by appreciation in real estate values, and that the estimated additional tax in any year shall not exceed the previous year's by more than four per cent, or a lesser percentage specified in the resolution levying the tax, except for increases caused by the addition of new taxable property.

The question shall be submitted as a separate proposition but may be printed on the same ballot with any other proposition submitted at the same election other than the election of officers.

The form of the ballot shall be substantially as follows:

"An additional tax for the benefit of (name of school district) for the purpose of paying the current operating expenses of the district, for .......... (number of years or for continuing period of time), at a rate sufficient to offset any reduction in basic state funding caused by appreciation in real estate values? This levy will permit variable annual growth in revenue up to .......... (amount specified by school district) per cent for the duration of the levy.

For the tax levy

Against the tax levy "

If a majority of the electors of the school district voting on the question vote in favor of the question, the board of elections shall certify the results of the election to the board of education and to the tax commissioner immediately after the canvass.

(E) When preparing any estimate of the contemplated receipts from a tax levied pursuant to this section for the purposes of sections 5705.28 to 5705.40 of the Revised Code, and in preparing to certify the tax under section 5705.34 of the Revised Code, a board of education authorized to levy such a tax shall use information supplied by the department of education to determine the adjusted charge-off increase for the tax year for which that certification is made. If the board levied a tax under this section in the preceding tax year, the sum to be certified for collection from the tax shall not exceed the sum that would exceed the limitation imposed under division (C) of this section. At the request of the board of education or the treasurer of the school district, the county auditor shall assist the board of education in determining the rate or sum that may be levied under this section.

The board of education shall certify the sum authorized to be levied to the county auditor, and, for the purpose of the county auditor determining the rate at which the tax is to be levied in the tax year, the sum so certified shall be the sum to be raised by the tax unless the sum exceeds the limitation imposed by division (C) of this section. A tax levied pursuant to this section shall not be levied at a rate in excess of the rate estimated by the county auditor to produce the sum certified by the board of education before the reductions under sections 319.302, 323.152, and 323.158 of the Revised Code. Notwithstanding section 5705.34 of the Revised Code, a board of education authorized to levy a tax under this section shall certify the tax to the county auditor before the first day of October of the tax year in which the tax is to be levied, or at a later date as approved by the tax commissioner.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.28, HB 153, §101.01, eff. 6/30/2011.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.29, HB 48, §1, eff. 7/2/2010.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.9, HB 1, §101.01, eff. 10/16/2009.

Effective Date: 06-30-2006