Tax Revenue
Printed From: MiddletownUSA.com
Category: Middletown City Schools
Forum Name: School Tax Issues
Forum Description: Discuss past, current and upcoming tax issues.
URL: http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5947
Printed Date: Nov 24 2024 at 7:26am
Topic: Tax Revenue
Posted By: 409
Subject: Tax Revenue
Date Posted: Jan 07 2015 at 2:01pm
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From MJ: Middletown Schools to receive $1.3M less in tax revenue By Rick McCrabb Staff Writer MIDDLETOWN — For the sixth consecutive year, and eight out of the last nine years, property values in the Middletown City Schools District dropped, said treasurer Randy Bertram. That means the district will receive $1.3 million less in property tax revenue over the next two years — $500,000 less during the current fiscal year that ends June 30, and an estimated $800,000 less in property tax revenue the following fiscal year, he said. “Money is tight,” he said, “and we are watching it closely.” Now, Bertram said, the district’s five-year forecast will be updated and the district will take any “necessary actions” for this and the next fiscal year. He said the district may have to make adjustments to assure it ends the fiscal year in the black. Last year, property values in the district fell from $712 million to $659 million, a drop of 7.39 percent, Bertram said during this week’s tax budget hearing. Just 10 years ago, Bertram said, the property values in the city exceeded $1 billion. Since then, there have been five significant drops: 6.62 percent in 2007; 11.94 percent in 2009; 8.22 percent in 2010; 7.89 percent in 2011 and 7.39 percent last year, he said. Overall, since 2005, the district has seen a drop of 39.4 percent in property taxes, Bertram said. He said the property values are reappraised every six year by the Butler County Auditor’s Office, and evaluated every six years. The next evaluation is set for 2017, he said. Bertram said Butler County was estimated to see a drop of about 2 percent in its property value, so based on Middletown’s demographics, Bertram estimated a 3 percent drop for the district when completing its financial forecast. But he was “a bit shocked” by the 7.39 decrease. “I can only hope that we are at the bottom,” he told the school board. Meanwhile, tax revenue from commercial and public utilities remain pretty flat in the city, he said. The tax budget has to be approved by the school board by Jan. 15 and by the Tax Budget Commission of Butler County by Jan. 20. ------------- Every morning is the dawn of a new error... |
Replies:
Posted By: Vivian Moon
Date Posted: Jan 07 2015 at 2:40pm
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Thanks 409 However...the above numbers do not really tell the entire story, this decline will increase. People are lining up to appeal the current evaluation of their properties because of how poorly this latest evaluation was completed. One house can be valued at $100,000 while the house right next door was valued at $200,000. The property values in Middletown are still in free fall..imo |
Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Jan 07 2015 at 2:54pm
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Let's see..... Sixth straight year property has dropped in the district. Did the schools allow for that in their budget having been shown a trend since 2007? The schools anticipated a 2% drop. Actual drop was 7.39% last year. Quite a difference. Hmmmm. In 2007 it was a 6.62% drop. In 2009, it was an 11.94% drop. In 2010, an 8.22% drop and in 2011, a 7.89% drop. Could you tell us all why the schools would think there wold be just a 2-3% drop this time? There was an established trend here Mr. Bertram. Why would anyone think Middletown would improve in property values when the same group of town destroyers are manning the decision-making positions in town? Nothing has changed to change the thinking that Middletown property would appreciate in value has it? Losing 1.3 million in the district. Think the school people will attempt to shaft the property owner/taxpayer by asking for levy money to replace the loss? If so, the property owner may be faced with two fronts to battle. The levy taking money out of their pocket and the reduction of wealth on their property thanks to the fools in the city building and their ghetto creation theme, driving down property values. With this 1.3 million dollar money reduction, through property devaluation, the schools have nowhere else to look but to the city leaders who have brought about this financial loss to the schools by running the city into the ground as to worth. We are dying a slow financial death in this city as to personal worth. The methods of running this city are driving us all to bankruptcy.....and apparently, none at the city building can see it coming. But, then again, knowing the court jesters who are running the kingdom, perhaps it comes as no surprise to any of us. Our city is in dire need of a competent person (people) in charge and we are in great need to purge the inept who occupy the leadership positions. ------------- I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over. |
Posted By: acclaro
Date Posted: Jan 07 2015 at 6:42pm
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Have no worries. The BOE and city leadership stated during the levy, passing the taxes to raise property taxes would RAISE property values by consolidation of the schools to be near MUM, and provide added income for those sporting events Middletown would attract with the centralized gyms. Middletown averaged about 2.0 % Year After Year increases for nearly 23 years, not even keeping up with inflation, PRIOR to the financial mess in 2008. With thousands of overcapacity, property values will continue to DECLINE, not stabilize in Middletown. The slightly below 8% decline for the current assessment is inaccurate; its nearly 10%. Help is on the way. When the new school buildings are built as promised by the BOE, property values will rise, of course, associated with the heightened demand of centralization, and ease of gyms within walking distance. And....when the bike path is completed, a yoga studio opened, thousands of $100,000 annual wage earners will be arriving, to ride their bikes downtown. North is south, east is west, in the city named Middletown, 'middie', average, continuing to slide. Forbes told you so. ------------- 'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill |
Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Jan 08 2015 at 7:15am
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Let's see.... Property values did not rise when the new elementaries were built. (Neither did the performance). Given the historical nature of things here, it is probably a safe bet that property values will not rise when the addition to the high school and the new middle school are built either. Add to that, the new gyms with all of that "activity" between the MUM campus and the Midd. schools we heard about from Ison. More "pie in the sky" crap from the schools. Again, new schools alone will not help increase valuation.....but reputation based on excellent performance will contribute as people will want to move here, increasing the demand and value of the properties. Fine looking buildings are worthless if there's nothing going on inside. The school people still haven't learned that. acclaro: "And....when the bike path is completed, a yoga studio opened, thousands of $100,000 annual wage earners will be arriving, to ride their bikes downtown" Ride downtown to do and see what? Get a 15 buck hamburger with some chips and a dill pickle chased with a glass of wine while looking at the empty space in the PAC, or stand on the street corner opposite Cincy State and watch all the foot traffic flooding the sidewalks as the parking lots fill with students?    Only here in Embellishmentland USA ------------- I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over. |
Posted By: Perplexed
Date Posted: Jan 08 2015 at 11:16am
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Property values in Middletown continue to plummet with no signs of leveling off (yet alone increasing). Homes are being demolished at breakneck speed due to the actions of "The Dougmeister" and Mr. Fooks. The percentage of owner-occupied homes continues to trend lower. The annual dollar value of residential property rehabilitation continues to drop. What a sad state of affairs! Is there any hope for positive change? To start with, whatever happened to the highly successful Home Ownership Education classes that were attended by 250-300 prospective purchasers annually? Second, whatever happened to the highly successful Down Payment and Closing Cost Assistance Program that routinely aided more than 60 first-time home buyers annually? Third, whatever happened to the highly successful Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Program that assisted up to 50 elderly and moderate-income households annually in addressing major repairs and updates? A major responsibility of effective local governments is to collaborate with private sector entities like real estate professionals, mortgage bankers, neighborhood betterment groups, etc. in addressing significant housing issues such as those in Middletown. With the private sector, public sector and impacted citizens each having equal roles in developing proactive and economically rational strategies, progress in eliminating numerous existing housing problems can be remedied. Home ownership promotion in Middletown requires as much attention as does economic development. You be the judge. |
Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Jan 08 2015 at 11:45am
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Good questions perplexed. What did happen to all of these programs that seemed to foster positive activity for Middletown? It is probably safe to say that those logical, citizen oriented ideas were snuffed out by the Gilleland administration and forgotten about by the Adkins clan as they saw no benefit toward their goal of setting the city up to their liking and to only support inner circle satisfaction. Helping the average Joe gets them nothing. Let's face it, all of us know that the leadership attitudes toward the majority of the people in this town is one of indifference concerning what is best for them and offering what is best for the select few that the city favors and holds as important to their cause. Again. the only solution is to remove the cancer before the healing can begin. ------------- I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over. |
Posted By: Vivian Moon
Date Posted: Jan 08 2015 at 11:46am
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Perplexed Remember Mr. Doug used all those funds 1.2 million dollars as matching funds for the Ohio Moving Forward Program to demo all those houses...Yep everything is looking just ducky now. |
Posted By: acclaro
Date Posted: Jan 08 2015 at 12:28pm
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The bland banks were intended to fund destruction of excess houses for many reasons, including reduction inventory. The problem with Middletown is it is a shrinking city with a shrinking number of affluent wage earners. It doesn't do much good when you have taken down 300 houses, and have another 2000 sitting as excess capacity, with limited to no market demand. How the school district former finance manager/ treasurer could forecast a 2% increase in city property valuation is bizarre. No reading the tea leaves. Too much capacity, too little demand. Won't change in 100 years. Best years are behind, not forward. ------------- 'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill |
Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Apr 07 2015 at 10:57am
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From today's Journal..... Meanwhile in Middletown, values dropped $52 million, or 7.39 percent, from 2013 to last year. The values in residential properties in Middletown fell $50 million from 2013 to 2014. The two largest gains were seen in heavily agricultural districts, Talawanda and Ross. Talawanda property values rose $20 million, or 3 percent, while Ross jumped $9 million, or 2.4 percent, according to the county. The drop in property values is a trend in Middletown. District Treasurer Randy Bertram said for the sixth consecutive year, and eight out of the last nine years, property values in the district fell. He said that means the district will receive $1.3 million less in property tax revenue over the next two years — $500,000 less during the current fiscal year that ends June 30, 2015 and an estimated $800,000 less in property tax revenue the following fiscal year, he said. “Money is tight,” he said, “and we are watching it closely.” To help offset the loss of tax revenue, Bertram said the district isn’t replacing staff with full-time employees, but long-term substitutes for the remainder of the school year. The district also is assessing its staffing to determine the needs for next year. He said the district also is reviewing current purchased services and deciding if the service is needed, can be reduced, and looking for alternatives to reduce the contract costs. Now, Bertram said, the district’s five-year forecast will be updated, and the district will take any “necessary actions” for this and the next fiscal year. He said the district may have to make adjustments to assure it ends the fiscal year in the black. Just 10 years ago, Bertram said, the property values in the city exceeded $1 billion. Since then, there have been five significant drops: 6.62 percent in 2007; 11.94 percent in 2009; 8.22 percent in 2010; 7.89 percent in 2011 and 7.39 percent last year, he said. Overall, since 2005, the district has seen a drop of 39.4 percent in property taxes, Bertram said. “I can only hope that we are at the bottom,” he said. Bertram said Middletown is $15 million under funded by the state, according to the formula. He said the state is considering raising the cap districts can receive. He said if the state raises the cap by 5 percent, the Middletown district would receive $1.7 million more for fiscal year 2016. “We certainly are hopeful,” Bertram said about the state possibly increasing school funding. Even if that occurs, Bertram said, the Middletown district would be under funded in 2019. Can you see where this talk from Bertram is leading? Just up the road a few years from now, and after we just gave them bond money for their new schools, the school people, even though we are all taking a beating on our property values, are still going to ask for some more levy money- this time for operations and staffing. The old "give til you are destitute" campaign. It won't be enough that we are bleeding property investment wise, they will still insist on their desires for a mega-cost school system in a city of poor folks who can hardly afford what they will be asking for. It's a comin". ------------- I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over. |