$2 million refund to aid local schools

By Grace Moody, For The Miami Student

Nearly $2 million was returned to 16 Butler County school districts because of a high surplus from the County Auditor's real estate fund.

In addition to refunds for schools, funding was also given to libraries, parks, cities, townships and other Butler County government expenses. As of Sept. 2, $6.02 million in total has been refunded among not only school districts, but also other local government facilities and operations.

In Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds' Sept. 2 News Release, "Unprecedented: Auditor Has Now Returned $6 Million," Reynolds explained that more efficiency among the tax system caused less overhead costs and therefore more availability to refund local communities. The surplus is the highest it has ever been in Butler County, amounting to $1.93 million.

"When someone votes for a tax levy, I'm sure they have no idea a small portion of the millage increase goes toward administering the tax," Reynolds said. "By streamlining my office we're doing our part to make sure more of that money stays at the local level - whether for schools, cities, townships, libraries, parks or county agencies."

Among the 16 Butler County school districts that will receive part of this refund is Lakota Local School District. According to Reynolds' Sept. 2 News Release, $453,271.40 has been given to the Lakota Local School District.

Ben Dibble, vice-president of the Lakota Local School District Board of Education, credits the high surplus to better technology, more efficiency and less overhead costs.

"They're giving away money that they would have given towards overhead back to the community, which is wonderful," he said.

Dibble said this money will likely go toward Lakota Local School District's general fund. While this refund will not allow Lakota Schools to hire new teachers or add new programs, the money will be spent toward everyday operations needed in the district.

"All the schools have a great need for funding," Dibble said. "Every little bit helps, it really does."

In addition to Lakota Local, other school districts will be refunded for the 2014-15 school year. The school districts being refunded are Fairfield, Middletown, Hamilton, Talawanda, Edgewood, Monroe, Ross, Madison, Princeton, New Miami, Southwest, Mason, Northwest, College Corner and Prebble Shawnee. Among the 16 school districts, $1,175,273.30 in total will be refunded.

Part of the surplus has also been given to cities and villages to aide with the construction of roads and help further fund police forces. Among these cities is Oxford, which received $4,119.79 for local government improvements.

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Kevin Armitage, assistant professor of Miami University's Western Program, has a child who attends a Talawanda City school. Armitage said he hopes the Talawanda School District fully takes advantage of the refund by using it for programs and supplies that will benefit kids' learning experiences.

"There are lots of potential great uses of the money," Armitage said. "It needs to go toward the education quality of the students."

The amount of refunds among Butler County school districts according to Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds' Sept. 2 News Release, "Unprecedented: Auditor Has Now Returned $6 Million." Refunds have also been given to other local governments to help community facilities and operations.