Understanding the Difference Between Ballot Language and Net Tax Impact

Did you know that the ballot language and auditor’s website calculator differ from the actual NET impact of Lakota’s bond and permanent improvement levy?

Here’s why:

The ballot and auditor's website calculator show amounts IF Lakota would begin collecting in 2026. We will not. Collections will be delayed until 2029.

Lakota will not collect on the bond and permanent improvement levy until 2029, which will lower the net impact to taxpayers. Butler County Auditor Nancy Nix understands this but has shared with Lakota that she is unable to add that level of detail to the auditor’s website and calculator.

Why wait to collect until 2029? 

The ballot says that the bond issue will be 4.99 mills. However, we have had three independent financial firms verify that we will never need to collect more than 3.99 mills because of the state co-funding we will receive and changes to our current tax base. This means that the net impact to tax payers will be 1.0 mill less than what the ballot says.

2028 will be the final collections for debt (bond issue roll-off) approved by voters in 2000 and 2005. This means that the net impact to tax payers will be 2.28 mills less than what the ballot says.

This is the calculation:

Ballot: 

4.99 mills (bond issue) + 0.95 mills (permanent improvement levy) = 5.94 mills or $208/$100,000.

Actual net impact by waiting to collect until 2029: 

3.99 mills (bond issue) + 0.95 mills (permanent improvement levy) - 2.28 mills (debt roll-off) = 2.66 net mills or $93.10/$100,000

Learn the facts by visiting our MFP website.