Most school levies pass in region; Troy fails

Voters across five counties appear to have narrowly approved the Miami Valley Career Technology Center’s bond request to do a $158 million renovation and expansion of its campus in Clayton.

With only 6 of several hundred precincts still uncounted late Tuesday night, the combination bond issue/tax levy was ahead by 1,000 votes, or a 50.7 to 49.3 ratio.

Meanwhile, Wayne Local Schools may be headed for a recount of its bond issue, with unofficial results from Warren and Greene counties showing 1,237 votes in favor, and 1,232 votes against. And voters in the Troy and Preble Shawnee districts rejected bond issues aimed at building new schools.

RELATED: Voters rejected MVCTC issue in May

Bond issues

When local voters agree to pay for part of a decades-long bond project via property taxes, the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) chips in millions of dollars to fund the rest.

** MVCTC: Voters in 27 districts around five counties approved a major renovation and expansion of the career tech/joint vocational school that serves 1,500 high school students, as well as adults.

VOTERS GUIDE: Learn about your candidates and levies

Superintendent Nick Weldy said the $158 million project would improve safety, replace out-of-date technology in welding, machining and other programs, and add capacity so the Clayton campus could serve hundreds more students per year — students who are turned away today.

** Troy: Voters rejected a 30-year bond issue to replace seven existing schools with two new elementaries, by a 60-40 ratio. The plan had been to buy 58 acres off Ohio 55 and Nashville Road, just west of the city limits, to build one school for preschool through second grade and the other for third through sixth grades.

RELATED: How Troy would split students between schools

** Wayne Local: Waynesville voters appeared to approve a bond issue aimed at replacing an old elementary school and constructing a new community center on the existing school campus. But the 50.1 to 49.9 percent vote breakdown means a recount is expected.

The 4.68-mill bond issue would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $163.80 annually, and the state would contribute $4.5 million to the school portion of the project, which includes parking and transportation upgrades.

** Preble Shawnee: Shawnee voters rejected a combination property tax levy/income tax increase to pay for a new elementary in Camden and a new middle/high school between Gratis and West Elkton. They had already rejected the proposal twice in the past year.

RELATED: More details on Beavercreek levy

Substitute levies

Two major suburbs with some anti-tax history, Beavercreek and Springboro, both approved substitute school levies designed to turn five-year levies into permanent ones.

The 6-mill Beavercreek levy, which voters rejected in May passed by a 55-45 ratio. The 7.4-mill Springboro substitute levy, on the ballot for the first time, passed by a 51-49 ratio.

Substitute levies keep existing residents’ tax rates the same, but allow for schools’ revenues to grow if there is new construction.

RELATED: Springboro levy, school board race

Renewal levies

Three districts asked voters to renew existing levies but make them permanent, and Kettering, Vandalia-Butler and Miami East all saw those levies pass easily. Straight five-year renewals in Miamisburg, Milton-Union, Cedar Cliff and a pair of levies in New Lebanon all passed easily.

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