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GIS: A Tax Levy Resource?

Posted July 12, 2023

When local school districts need money beyond what is provided by the state and federal government, they rely on revenue from tax levies to increase their funding. There are three common types of tax levies.

1. Operating Levy

Operating levies aremonies are used to pay employee salaries, fund extracurricular activities such as sports and clubs, and purchase computers and equipment, gasoline for bussing, insurance, supplies, and textbooks.

2. Permanent Improvement Levy

Permanent improvement levies are used to pay for buses, purchase land for growth, or replace expensive building needs, such as athletic fields or a freezer for a cafeteria.

3. Bond Levy

Bond levies are used to build a new school or renovate existing buildings. The success of these levy programs hinges on votes from district residents who need clear and transparent information on what the total cost to them is.

How Are Levies Funded?

Levies are funded through property taxes. Tax amounts are determined by what is known as a millage (mill) rate. A mill is equivalent to one-tenth of one percent. For every $1,000 of property value a property owner pays $1. Homes are taxed at 35% of their value. For example, if a home is valued at $100,000 then its taxable value is $35,000. This means that a 2-mill levy would cost a voter with a $100,000 home $70/year.

Making Levy Information Clear with Interactive Tax Estimators

Many voters find levy millage rates to be confusing or lacking in transparent information to help them make informed decisions.

The GIS professionals at Environmental Design Group have developed an informative resource to assist property owners in determining what their estimated tax amount would be if a levy were to pass. This application helps supplement the levy tax information provided by the district through mail, social media, or internet campaigns. Information is provided using an interactive web application that can be accessed on a computer, tablet or cellphone.

Driving Voter Confidence Through Clarity: Midview Schools’ Levy Success

EDG recently completed a project for Midview Local School District. In November of 2022, the district proposed a levy that was turned down by voters 52.49% to 47.51%.

Undeterred, they decided to place another levy on the ballot the following election cycle in May of 2023, and campaigned on the purpose and individual cost of the levy to the community using EDG’s Tax Levy tool. This resulted in passage by the voters by a wide margin (62% for versus 38% against).

District Treasurer, Mike Resar, cited the tax levy info interactive web application as a critical component to their campaign as it informed voters that this levy was not an increase, but a decrease in cost to the property owner.

GIS Solutions for Voter Location and Campaign Tracking

GIS is not only useful in informing voters, but also capable of pinpointing where voters live. EDG’s GIS team can create applications that help field teams locate voters and owner-occupied homes. This information assists in creating strategic and efficient door-to-door campaigns for messaging. These applications include simple tracking metrics to monitor daily, weekly, monthly, or a custom date range.

How Municipalities and Parks Use Levy Tools to Drive Success

School Districts are not the only public entity that relies on a levy tax as their source of funding. Municipalities use them to supplement their general funds. Public safety services such as police and fire are funded through tax levies.

Community parks also use levies to provide recreational activities and space.

In May of 2022, EDG’s GIS team created an application to help the Washington Township RecPlex administrators inform the public about a replacement levy. Washington Township was able to pass the levy 58.4% to 41.6%.

Your Trusted Partner for GIS and Voter Engagement

Ready to make your next levy campaign more transparent, strategic, and successful? EDG is here to help. From interactive tax calculators to field campaign support tools, we deliver custom applications that engage voters and build trust.