The Aurora City School District is asking voters to approve Issue 4, a 37-year, 4.26-mill bond issue meant to finance building, furnishing and equipping a new elementary school and transportation facility, and to renovate, remodel, equip and otherwise improve school district infrastructure.
Aurora is the only school district fully in Portage County with a new money ask on the November ballot. (Three other school districts are seeking renewal levies.)
Issue 4 is a 37-year, 4.26-mill bond issue that would cost property owners $149 per $100,000 of the county fiscal officer’s market value.
(Market value, the state's new term for “appraised value,” does not refer to what a given property would bring on the open market. That depends on a number of factors, none of which the county auditor’s office controls.)
If approved, the $96,200,000 bond issue would commence in 2026, with payments first due in calendar year 2027.
Craddock Elementary School, portions of which are now over 100 years old, would be replaced with a modern elementary school for grades 1-3. The district estimates the cost for a new Craddock Elementary School at $57,600,000.
The district’s deteriorating bus garage would be replaced with a safe, functional transportation facility. The district estimates that would cost $7 million. Aurora schools Superintendent Paul Milcetich notes that the current bus garage lacks lifts and wash bays, making it difficult to maintain the district’s 30-bus fleet.
Miller Elementary School would receive an addition and renovations estimated to cost $5.5 million. A new board office would be built, with an estimated price tag of $2.9 million.
Other projects would include:
- Paving on Greenman Way from state Route 43 to Pioneer Trail
- New roofing at Aurora High School and Harmon Middle School
- HVAC improvements at AHS
- Kitchen refresh at AHS and Leighton Elementary School
- New playgrounds for kindergarten and pre-K at Miller
- Chiller and boiler replacement at Leighton
After a 7.57-mill bond issue failed in November 2024, Milcetich credited the Aurora community for providing feedback that allowed the district to establish priorities and create what it calls its “Essential Plan.”
Should voters reject Issue 4, though, the district would have to rely on the $650,000 it budgets each year to address facility issues and projects.
“We’re at a point where, because we have so many infrastructure issues, all we can do is fix what breaks. We can’t be proactive in terms of addressing our facility needs,” he said.
Inflationary pressures are also at work. The cost of getting Craddock up to code and sustainable for the long term ratcheted up from almost $10.2 million in 2019 to just shy of $21.5 million in 2026. Costs are only expected to increase in the coming years, Milcetich said, adding that new construction and renovation projects drastically reduce maintenance costs.
Ravenna, Streetsboro, Crestwood seek renewals
Three Portage County school districts are seeking renewal levies to fund general permanent improvements, current expenses, or both.
Renewal levies do not raise taxes regardless of property value changes.
General permanent improvements refer to any property, asset or improvement estimated to have a period of usefulness of five years or more. It includes but is not limited to real estate, buildings, equipment, furnishings, site improvements, reconstruction, rehabilitation, renovations, installation, improvement and enlargement and extension of property, assets or improvements.
Current operating expenses refers to a school district’s lawful expenditures, excepting those for permanent improvements and debt charges.
Issue 5: Ravenna city schools are seeking a continuing 2.9-mill renewal levy to fund general permanent improvements that the county auditor estimates would raise $947,150 annually. If approved, Issue 5 would cost district property owners $60 per $100,000 of market value, commencing in 2027 and first due in calendar year 2028.
Issue 7: The Streetsboro City School District hopes voters approve a five-year, 5.1-mill renewal levy that the county auditor estimates would raise $2,547,075 annually. The levy is split into 3.6 mills to fund current expenses and 1.5 mills to fund general permanent improvements.
If approved, Issue 7 would cost school district property owners $96 per $100,000 of market value for five years, commencing in 2027 and first due in calendar year 2028.
Issue 9: Voters in the Crestwood Local School District will decide a five-year, 3.5-mill renewal levy earmarked for general permanent improvements. The county auditor’s office estimates the levy would collect $501,820 annually and would cost property owners $26 per $100,000 of market value.
If approved, Issue 9 would commence in 2027 and proceeds would be first due in 2028.