On May 8, you will have the opportunity to maintain the excellence of the Solon Schools and protect your home value.
Issue 8 is an incremental levy with a phased in approach. The net impact to taxpayers is
6.9 mills, the same as nearly all Solon Schools operating levies.
The 8.5 mill levy would be phased in over two years by first recapturing 1.6 mills of retired bond debt beginning in 2019 at no additional cost to homeowners and then adding the incremental
6.9 mills for collection beginning in 2020.
The Levy Will Maintain the Excellence of Our Schools
Solon City Schools are rated "Excellent" by the Ohio Department of Education and ranked as the #1 district in the state of Ohio. Solon Schools perform at the top of the state, and even nationally, in academics, athletics, arts, and many other extra-curricular activities. This levy will fund classroom education and programming that are essential to keep our schools excellent and protect the quality of our communities.
Property Taxes Remain Affordable
With the passage of this levy, Solon's property taxes would still be in the middle range of all districts in Cuyahoga County. The cost of the levy will be approximately $241 per $100,000 of home value.
Property Values Are Tied to School Performance
Maintaining a highly ranked school district directly impacts the value of all homes in Solon. The increased availability of school data has led to more families searching for homes based on the quality of schools in a community. Today, a family in the market for a new home uses information on student achievement, student-teacher ratios, course offerings, and athletics to rank schools in the area they are looking.
Solon’s Loss of TPP Funding Created a Budget Hole
The forced phase-out of the Tangible Personal Property tax reimbursement to Solon Schools has created a serious financial threat. Despite several years of awareness building, negotiating, lobbying and citizen contact with legislators and the governor, a total elimination of the reimbursement is in effect. Solon has already lost nearly $6 million in annual TPP funding and without legislative action the remaining $4.8 million will phase out over the next few years. Revenue losses of this magnitude are impossible to recoup without shifting the tax burden through additional operating levies.
This Levy Is Not Optional
This levy reflects a critical funding need for the district. Because of the low level of state funding Solon receives, the support of our local community is needed to protect our schools. Without the passage of this levy, deeper cuts that directly impact our students will have to be made.
Solon City Schools are rated "Excellent" by the Ohio Department of Education and ranked as the #1 district in the state of Ohio. Solon Schools perform at the top of the state, and even nationally, in academics, athletics, arts, and many other extra-curricular activities. This levy will fund classroom education and programming that are essential to keep our schools excellent and protect the quality of our communities.
Property Taxes Remain Affordable
With the passage of this levy, Solon's property taxes would still be in the middle range of all districts in Cuyahoga County. The cost of the levy will be approximately $241 per $100,000 of home value.
Property Values Are Tied to School Performance
Maintaining a highly ranked school district directly impacts the value of all homes in Solon. The increased availability of school data has led to more families searching for homes based on the quality of schools in a community. Today, a family in the market for a new home uses information on student achievement, student-teacher ratios, course offerings, and athletics to rank schools in the area they are looking.
Solon’s Loss of TPP Funding Created a Budget Hole
The forced phase-out of the Tangible Personal Property tax reimbursement to Solon Schools has created a serious financial threat. Despite several years of awareness building, negotiating, lobbying and citizen contact with legislators and the governor, a total elimination of the reimbursement is in effect. Solon has already lost nearly $6 million in annual TPP funding and without legislative action the remaining $4.8 million will phase out over the next few years. Revenue losses of this magnitude are impossible to recoup without shifting the tax burden through additional operating levies.
This Levy Is Not Optional
This levy reflects a critical funding need for the district. Because of the low level of state funding Solon receives, the support of our local community is needed to protect our schools. Without the passage of this levy, deeper cuts that directly impact our students will have to be made.