Wayne Pagel: Proposed Loveland School Levy Defies Logic

by Wayne Pagel

There is a logical reason for voting against the 42% tax increase proposed in the Loveland School Levy: a 42% tax increase is illogical. Unconscionable. Federal Income Tax. Ohio State Income Tax. Loveland City Income Tax, State and local sales tax. Hamilton, Clermont and Warren County property tax. 

Wayne Pagel is an 11 year resident of Loveland residing on Rich Road.

Our own most recent property tax disbursement indicates that 60% of those taxes were disbursed to the Loveland School District.  Through its proposed levy, the Loveland School Board feels that portion should be 77%. A bigger slice of a larger pie. 

Good for the community? The 14 other recipients, including Family and Children Services, Public Library, Mental Health, Senior Services, Indigent Hospital Care, should understand that the School Board’s deep dive into the pockets of the taxpayers of Loveland to build Fine Arts Centers, Student Collaboration Areas, and artificial turf practice facilities may put a squeeze on any revenue increases or levies in the foreseeable future. There is a limit to how much we can afford and after all, the School Board seems to be first in line. It’s doubtful the board members will form any PACs, hire any consultants, or orchestrate any media campaigns for those causes representing the other 23% of the community’s needs.

Loveland Schools are stellar. They receive the highest ratings possible.  Our teachers are incredible. They deserve to be well compensated. They are. These things are being accomplished because of the commitment and dedication of the people, including parents, doing the hard work of coaching and educating our children every day. A reasonable, practical approach to revenue enhancement would have been well received and supported. Opposing this one by no means represents a lack of concern or support for Loveland educators. 

Most of us share in the common goal of providing a good education for our children, saving for their college educations, paying for a home, retiring comfortably. These taxes do not guarantee meeting the needs of our children or for that matter our teachers, rather they

are a list of wants. Dollars directed from your income to pay for the Board of Education’s wants can’t be invested for your children’s college expenses. Taxes rarely go down, or away. We can pay off our mortgages and debts, but these taxes will continue well into our own retirements. When children starting school next fall graduate from college, they will have 20 years left to pay on this inherited levy should it pass on November 5^th. 

Educating our children is our individual and collective responsibility.  Setting an example of making practical, economically prudent choices with our financial resources should be part of that education.

Send the message to the Board of Education that the community deserves and demands a better approach. Vote Against the Loveland School Levy on November 5^th

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