By Brian Massie, A Watchman on the Wall
I am against “continuous”, or “continuing period of time” levies!
In the upcoming May 6th election, Wickliffe residents will be asked to vote for another school levy. Here is the ballot issues we received from the Lake County board of elections:
6 Proposed Tax Levy
(Additional)
Wickliffe City School District
A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.
An additional tax for the benefit of Wickliffe City School District for the purpose of current expenses that the county auditor estimates will collect $3,000,000 annually, at a rate not exceeding 7.2 mills for each $1 of taxable value, which amounts to $252 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s appraised value, for a continuing period of time, commencing in 2025, first due in calendar year 2026.
Here is the Lake County Auditor’s Schedule A for the Wickliffe School District. It shows all of the current property tax levies (11 in total) being charges to residents.
Wickliffe is currently receiving approximately $18,954,617 per year in property taxes. The new levy, if passed, will bring in an additional $3,000,000 (15.8%) more each year. [$3,000,000 / $18,954,617]
The annual cost to the taxpayer will be $252 per $100,000 of market value. Appraised value, true value and market value all mean the same. [$35 x 7.2 mills = $252]
| HOME MARKET VALUE, APPRAISED VALUE | ANNUAL INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES FOREVER |
| $100,000 | $252 |
| $200,000 | $504 |
| $300,000 | $756 |
| $400,000 | $1,008 |
| $500,000 | $1,260 |
Another factor that voters should consider is the term of the tax levy. The phrase “for a continuing period of time” is the politician’s way of saying “FOREVER”. The school district will not have to come back to the voters to prove that they are being good stewards of the taxpayers’ money. “FOREVER IS A VERY LONG TIME”.
Once again we must inform voters about the “Housing Affordability Threshold”. It is a way for a resident to determine if they can afford a proposed tax levy. The three factors are: (1) Mortgage, (2) Utilities, (3) Property Taxes. If the sum of all three equal 30% of your annual income then the home is deemed unaffordable for you. It does not mean that you will have to sell your home, but you will definitely have less disposable income for your “needs and wants”.
Our animated friend Lily wants to express her opinion about this new levy.
Categories: Lake County Cities & Townships, Real Estate Taxes, Uncategorized, Wickliffe