The median home value in Hilliard is $375,000
If all of the levies pass that would be an extra $2,070/year
(see chart below for taxing entity specific breakdown)
Can you afford more taxes?
Estimated Tax on a
$375k home value
Current Situation
39% of Americans are struggling to pay their bills.
The Hilliard City School Board of Education voted to place a combined $6.9 mill operating levy and a $1.84 mill bond issue on the November 5th, 2024 ballot.
BOND Information
Should this Bond Levy fail, your property taxes will be reduced by 1.84 Mills, or $1.84 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation of your home.
A $1.84 mill bond renewal will fund phase 1 of the master facility plan, which will create 3 new elementary schools, add an additional 6th grade building by using the existing Brown elementary, and make many renovations to schools across the district. The bond portion of this tax levy request will not increase your taxes as an existing bond will be expiring. However, the bond does generate $63 per $100,000 on your property taxes, and as noted above, a failure of this levy would reduce your property taxes.
OPERATING LEVY Information
A $6.9 mill operating levy will primarily fund administration, teachers, and staff salaries and benefits. Traditionally, over 80% of all expense is for school personnel. This levy will generate an additional $242 per $100,000 of property valuation. It is important to note the operating levy will NOT fund the Master Facilities Plan for the new and proposed renovated buildings noted above. So why combine the issues on a single ballot?
Hilliard School District
Hilliard is a suburban, residential community located northwest of Columbus, Ohio. The district includes portions of Columbus, Dublin, Hilliard, and five surrounding townships. Hilliard Schools is one of the fastest growing communities in the state of Ohio, with over 93,000 residents. All Homeowners are assessed at the same rate of school property tax regardless of where they live. https://www.hilliardschools.org/district/factsfigures/
Hilliard City Schools enrollment has remained overall flat for the last 10 years. In 2008, HCSD enrollment was 15,150 Click Here Pg. 110
HCSD enrollment is projected for the 2024/2025 school year at 16,072, and is projected to to be 16,516 in 2034. Click Here pg. 28
Why is it important that enrollment has been overall flat, and will continue to remain flat through 2034?
- To highlight and show that there is not a burden of increased students being placed on our district which would correlate to higher spending.
Facts Not Fiction - The numbers
Hilliard City Schools has $91 Million Dollars in their June 2024
Cash Reserves (Hilliard City School Financials- page 2) In the paperwork filed in May 2024 HCS claimed to only have $84 million in cash reserves.In a meeting we had with the Superintendent, Treasurer and a Board member on 9/10/2024 we were informed the cash reserves is actually $91 million!
If all the levies on the ballot pass this fall, Hilliard residents can expect an additional tax of $552 per $100,000 of home appraised value.
Norwich Township Fire $172
Library $53
Hilliard Schools Operating and Bond $306
Children Services $21
Total per $100,000 of valuation equals $552
If home's appraised value is $385K, that means your taxes will increase
$2,125.20
Inflation and enrollment : The Schools cost per student is projected to more than double the recent rate of inflation! Source- AI Overview, Since 2020 (2021 4.7%), (2022 8%,) (2023 4.1%) and through June (2024 4.1%).
Cash Reserve Projections
We are continuing to evaluate employee data as well. It appears the main drivers of additional expense per pupil are from service personnel added for items such as ESL, and intervention specialist (6 figure jobs for some of these roles). While not considered administrative, it appears we added very few additional teachers over the same period our cost per pupil has increased and our enrollment remained relatively flat.
Additionally, our enrollment appears to be projected to actually decrease. Is the community being asked to fund the additional COVID hiring that took place post COVID? All that is being presented for the additional funding request is for new and refurbished schools, which is only the bond portion.