By BOB OLIVER
Times-Herald Newspapers
HEIGHTS — District 7 Schools got a strong showing of support from voters last Tuesday as 70 percent — 484-204 — gave their approval to a renewal of non-homestead mills for the next decade.
Voters approved the renewal of 18 mills of tax on non-homestead property, which applies to local businesses, industrial and commercial property or non-primary residences.
The proposal equals $18 of tax for every $1,000 of taxable value of the property.
D7 Supt. Jeffrey Bartold said the community has always been supportive of the district but that the passing of the renewal was special.
“We’re really thankful and happy that the community approved the continuance of the millage,” Bartold said.
Bartold said the 18 mills generates about $1.1 million in revenue for the district annually that goes toward operational costs like textbooks, classroom supplies, faculty salaries and building operations.
D7 has about 2,700 students and an annual budget of about $23 million.
Bartold said the money is crucial to the district’s budget and that a “no” vote would have meant that they could not have gone for the funds again.
“The mills bring in about $450 per pupil that the state would not make up if we had lost the vote,” Bartold said. “Now that the renewal has passed we can move on with our deficit elimination plan.”
The district expects to pull itself from a $1.4 million deficit in the next fiscal year.
(Bob Oliver can be reached at [email protected].)