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Group looking to contest district bond issue

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By Ryan Gauthier, Staff Writer 3:30 PM Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Preliminary work on the construction of a new Talawanda High School is in full swing, but a group of Oxford-area residents are weighing available options to stop the project.

Around 150 people packed the Reily Community Center to listen as Mike Schnipper outlined several potential ways to overturn a 4.7 mill property tax passed last November. Schnipper, an Oxford resident, proposed forming a Political Action Committee and attempting to repeal the bond issue, either through a lawsuit or by placing an issue on ballots.

“If the PAC feels they want to proceed, we will sue both the city of Oxford and the Talawanda School District,” he said. “We’ll ask for injunctions against the construction start, ask for a stay on any additional expenditures concerning that construction and we’ll sue the city of Oxford for an injunction against annexing the property into the city limits until the suit is resolved.”

Already upset at the impact Miami students had on the past election, Schnipper said he felt something needed to be done when he heard the school district planned to contest the Butler County Auditor’s decision to lower property values for area residents.

“Why did the school board file a counterclaim? Greed,” Schnipper said. “They want the levy money based on those artificially-inflated property values people were getting. They’re here for the bucks, baby.”

Superintendent Phil Cagwin admitted the district contested several property value assessments, but said Schnipper failed to mention that the only evaluations appealed were those of rental and commercial properties.

“We were contacted a number of years ago by the county auditor who let us know that many of our neighboring school districts routinely appeal property values that are under-inflated,” Cagwin said. “At that time the board decided to go ahead with appealing only profit-making properties.”

With a substantial number of property owners appealing evaluations this year, Cagwin said board members felt it was crucial to again contest the assessments of commercial and rental properties within the school district. The contested property values alone could cost the district several hundred thousand dollars annually, he said.

“We’re not trying to set the property values,” Cagwin said. “We simply want to make sure they’re being assessed fairly.”

Many audience members voiced support for holding a special election during the summer, as the majority of Miami University students would not be in town. While the timetable for a special election takes this summer out of the equation, Schnipper said holding one next year could be a viable option.

“A special election would depend on when we want to schedule it, but it would be after the November vote,” Schnipper said. “We could figure out the graduation date and have it the Tuesday after.”

In order to get a measure on this November’s ballot, Schnipper said the group needs to secure at least 2,600 signatures by Aug. 20.

Cagwin said work on the high school is continuing as planned, still on schedule to break ground at the site in late July or early August.

“I’ve been in education for 25 years and have never seen something like this,” he said. “We simply don’t know what the future holds, but we’re proceeding forward as best we can.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 523-4139, ext. 86102, or at rgauthier@coxohio.com.

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Bill,how are we 'holding our children hostage"? Talawanda has an Excellent rating from the State, so they are already receiving a top rated education. We are now the 5th highest rate of property tax in Butler County, not including the school district income tax. If anyone is being held hostage, it is the tax payers.

Mike Schnipper
2:14 PM, 7/5/2009

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Mike, If your beef is with the School District, as you claim, attack the School Board. But do not hold our children hostage just so you can make a point.

Bill
9:35 PM, 6/29/2009

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So because something is "for the common good", it is OK? You need to see some of the unrealistic values being called fair before you make that comment. TSD has contested about 350 values, sometimes starting the process. I will post the information on the web site soon. Properties do not increase 182% in this economy, or in reality. The school district has gone too far, even if it is "for the common good".

Mike Schnipper
12:21 PM, 6/29/2009

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If contesting property valuations is greed, it is greed for the common good: a new high school. The desire to overturn the levy is also greed, but personal greed.

tremont
8:37 PM, 6/9/2009

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I recall not too long ago when the school issue was on the ballot, I was a student at Miami (not from originally from Oxford) and was threatened by my landlord that if I voted yes at the election and it passed, I wouldn't be able to afford rent. The students have always swung the vote in that town and it has always been bad for the district. That district deserves a new HS, and by majority vote (even with the students present) it passed.

Andy
5:22 PM, 6/9/2009

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