Auburn Career Center’s Funding is Unconstitutional

By Contributing Writer on June 17, 2024

June 17, 2024

By Brian Massie, A Watchman on the Wall

While reviewing the Lake County Auditor’s Schedule A, we noticed that the funding for the Auburn Career Center started in 1976 with an outside levy (voted on by the taxpayers) of 1.50 mills.

The issue we have with it is that Auburn’s millage is not subject to the HB 920, which is meant to reduce the effective millage rate when the property values increase. Note that the outside millage of 1.50 is the same as the effective millage on the above schedule.

What does that mean? The outside millage is treated like inside millage, and Auburn will receive an increase in revenue without a vote of the taxpayers. If it is treated like inside millage, it is inside millage, and the Ohio Constitution limiting inside (unvoted millage) to 10 mills is being violated.

Our calculations show that an estimated 30% in property values will mean an extra $1,234,000 in annual revenue for Auburn without a vote of the taxpayers. The increase in 2025 will mean an additional $15 per $100,000 of market values for a homeowner.

This is a totally intolerable situation for the taxpayers because Auburn’s administration and Board of Trustees have wasted taxpayers’ money over the last 12 years fighting their employee union known at CATA. Auburn has lost EVERY lawsuit that they have filed against CATA, and have spent over $3 million on a claim that initially cost $144,000.

We have many issues with Auburn:

Their funding is violating Article XII, Section II of the Ohio Constitution by collecting in excess of the 10 mill limit.
They are TERRIBLE STEWARDS of the taxpayers’ money because of they are not fiscally responsible.
They are not transparent with the taxpayers because they told former Board Member, Paul Stefanko, that they would not tell him how much they have paid in legal fees to fight the union because it would create a public record.
They spent over $5.0 million on a building meant for classrooms, but it is used to house the Educational Service Center.
They continue to be rewarded with increased revenue without a vote of the taxpayers.
The members of the Board of Trustees are appointed and not elected by the taxpayers. Therefore, the Board answers to no one. [Taxation without Representation]
The Riverside School District is the largest contributor, but have no board member representing their district.
Auburn no longer believes in meritocracy.
The taxpayers have no voice in this matter. They are simply told to pay the tax or the government will foreclose on your home.
Auburn’s management and Board members clearly demonstrated that they were not dealing in good faith with their employees.
Which public official is fighting for the taxpayers against this injustice? Answer: NO ONE! The Concord Trustees do not want to get their hands dirty – its not their job, the Commissioners are curiously silent, the State Representatives and State Senator do not mingle with the serfs, and the Auburn Board and Superintendent are content to abuse the taxpayers.

The common theme is that that public officials do not view their roles as protectors of the taxpayers’ financial interests. If the taxpayers continue to vote for property tax levies, they will be complicit in pricing themselves out of their homes that they have worked all their lives to achieve.

Note to all officials: SAVE OUR SENIORS

Question for taxpayers:

What is the role of government?
Should the government be involved in public education?
Where is it written that a taxpayer must pay for the education of someone else’s children?

ANY TAX THAT CAUSES A CITIZEN TO BECOME HOMELESS IS IMMORAL!

Here is the Superintendent and Board Members of the Auburn Career Center. Remember that none of them report to the taxpayers in their role as a member of Auburn’s Board. Dr. Bontempo reports to the Board, but our experience has shown that the Board is usually subservient to the Superintendent or President of their respective organization.

We see a common thread between Auburn and the Lakeland Community College’s financial debacle. A strong, dynamic Superintendent and a “weak-kneed” Board that wants to be liked, therefore will not make waves. A “go-along to get-along” attitude is prevalent in most Lake County Boards.

Like a constricting snake, the property taxes are slowly but surely squeezing the life out of the homeowners, and there is not a thing they can do about it until they wake up and realize how they are being abused.