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Auditor refunds county schools

Lauren Ceronie, For The Miami Student

Butler County Schools will receive a $502,186 refund from the Butler County Auditor's Office, after cutting office spending to a 10-year low, according to Auditor Roger Reynolds.

Reduced-spending has enabled the county auditor's office to return used monies to public entities, Reynolds said.

Reynolds has cut the office's budget by $2.1 million, or 35 percent, since taking office in 2008. The auditor's office will reduce spending in the future by continuing to aggressively look at uses of technology that have helped reduce expenses and by ensuring staff is fully utilized in taxpayer services, according to Reynolds.

Reynolds said the money being returned comes from tax levies. State law permits the auditor's office to return all unused tax levy money to schools and other public entities and prohibits this money from being refunded to taxpayers.

"If I could give money directly back to the taxpayers, I would, but state law says I have to give the money to schools and public entities," Reynolds said.

Schools with higher tax levies will be refunded more money, Reynolds said. Lakota School District will receive the most money, totaling more than $120,600. Talawanda School District will receive $22,774 and Butler County Public Schools will receive $344,171.

Miami University sophomore Logan Dick was happy to learn about the refunds.

"It's very responsible and proactive of the auditor's office to allocate sources in this way," Dick said. "Good public education is the foundation of any community."

Dick was also pleased money would be going to public safety departments.

"I'm glad the auditor's office is having such a positive impact on the community," she said. "As a student at Miami, I appreciate that money is going to public safety departments. It's the best way to keep students safe."

Dick said she hopes some of the money will go toward ambulance services in Oxford. "One of my friends got sick last year, but there was no ambulance available to take her to the hospital," she said. "She had to be taken to the hospital by the police. I hope the refund money can go toward solving that problem."

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Miami sophomore Tom Milewski agreed.

"Money going to public safety departments will be great for students on and off campus, especially if the money goes to fire or EMT services," Milewski said. "Keeping the students safe is important."

According to Reynolds, public safety departments will be refunded $50,922 and special services will receive $64,978. The remaining $42,115 will be split among other public entities.