Schools

Avon Seeking $32 Million Middle School Bond Levy in November

District hopes third time is the charm for middle school levy.

The Avon School Board unanimously approved a motion that would place a “no new tax” $32 million, 2.34-mill bond issue on the November General Election ballot.

It marks the third time in the past 12 months the district has sought a $32 million levy. Unlike the first two, in November of 2011 and March of 2012, passage of this levy will not result in a tax increase. Both previous attempts narrowly failed.

If approved, the 28-year levy would generate enough funds to build a new Avon Middle School that would be finished by the 2014-15 school year.

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The school would be built on a 46-acre property the district already owns on Long Road.

said if approved by voters, taxpayers would not see an increase in taxes, but a continuation of the 5.3-mill rate currently in effect.

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“This is not a tax increase,” Zeman said at the July 17 school board meeting.

The 2.34 millage is essentially replacing millage that would have been eliminated in 2015.

“We had a drop in 2015 and we’re capturing that drop,” he said.

Should the levy fail, taxpayers will see a decrease in their taxes. The district is looking for additional support for this measure.

“We’re asking voters to continue paying what they were,” the treasurer said. “If approved, (taxpayers) would never pay more than 5.3 mills for 4 years, than it would continually go down moving forward (as new businesses and homes come into town),” Zeman said.

In November of 2011, the Avon Board of Education asked for a 1.25-mill $32 million bond levy after deciding the existing could not be expanded to fit a growing student population, and that renovations to bring it up to state standards for a middle school were not cost-effective.

by a vote of 3,903 (51.16 percent) to 3,726 (48.84 percent). In the March primary of this year, the district tried again for a 32-year, $32 bond issue to build a new middle school. , failing by 141 votes. Had either levy passed, it would have meant an increase of $38.29 per year for every $100,000 in home valuation.


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