Factual District Talking Points
The Conotton Valley Union Local School District will be placing a 4.0 mill permanent continuous improvement levy on the November 5, 2024 ballot for voter approval. This initiative is expected to generate approximately $1,602,000 in annual revenue to support the capital needs of the district, including ongoing operations of the district’s Rocket Center as well as providing funding for renovations to current facilities, the purchase of buses, and other such district needs. Under Ohio Revised Code, income generated by the levy cannot be used for salaries, benefits, materials, or supplies.
Currently, the district is realizing only a portion of the revenue promised by Rover, Energy Transfer, when the business submitted its application to the Public Utilities Corporation of Ohio. It was that agreement, and anticipated income from pipeline taxes, which served as the impetus for the construction of the nearly $23,000,000.00 Rocket Center. Rover, though, has failed to live up to its promise, appealing the valuation of the pipeline to the Ohio Supreme Court resulting in an over $1,000,000.00 annual operating deficit for the district.
If not addressed, the budgetary implications due to the Rover Pipeline shortfall will impact instruction and the student experience at the Conotton Valley Union Local School District. The district’s general fund is being used (between $1.0 million and $1.5 million annually) for the continual operation of the Rocket Center, a fund designated for the education of district students.
No tentative date for a settlement between Rover and the State of Ohio has been set with some experts believing the appeals process through the Ohio Supreme Court could take anywhere between 2 and 5 years.
As part of its request, the district is seeking to replace only the anticipated revenue promised by the Rover agreement. The 4.0 mill levy will cost citizens with a $100,000 home and/or property valuation an additional $11.67 in monthly taxes which equates to $140.00 per year.
The district allowed a prior ballot initiative which generated in excess of $700,000 per year to expire in anticipation of public utility personal property (PUPP) tax income generated by the Rover Pipeline.
The Board of Education wishes to convey its displeasure with Rover’s failure to fulfill its promise to local government and school districts resulting in many of these entities being forced to seek support from their local communities through ballot initiatives.