Delaware Area Career Center places reduced 10-year renewal levy on November ballot

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect that the Delaware Area Career Center has a continuing levy that has existed since 1972.

DELAWARE — The Delaware Area Career Center (DACC) Board of Education approved a 10‐year renewal levy with a reduced rate for the November ballot.

If approved, the ballot issue would renew the existing levy, but reduce the millage from 1.7 to 0.75 — a reduction of 0.95 mills, according to the DACC.

DACC’s board approved the renewal at its July 22 board meeting.

County Auditor George Kaitsa estimates the levy would cost $18 annually for each $100,000 of home value.

That means a homeowner with a $500,000 home would pay about $90 per year, a savings of about $114 annually compared with the current 1.7-mill levy.

The DACC district encompasses nearly all of Delaware County, but also parts of Franklin, Marion, Morrow and Union counties.

The ballot question will be placed in front of voters who live in one of the four Career Technical Planning Districts, which are Buckeye Valley, Big Walnut, Delaware Hayes and Olentangy Schools.

“This recommendation reflects DACC’s commitment to being fiscally responsible with
taxpayer dollars,” Superintendent Jay Poroda said in a statement.

Voter-approved property taxes are the primary funding source for the DACC, with state and federal funding being the secondary sources.

DACC also has a continuing levy that was passed in 1972. That continuing levy collects at 1.5 mills.

“Over the past decade, DACC has grown significantly while carefully managing resources,” Poroda said. “This proposal allows us to continue supporting students and programs while reducing the amount collected from taxpayers.”

The levy was last approved by voters in 2015, and the November 2026 election is the final opportunity to renew it.

According to DACC, levy revenue supports day-to-day operations as well as long-term investments, including career and technical education programs, staffing, equipment and facility maintenance.

It is separate from the district’s planned facility expansion projects, which are funded through existing financial planning and resources.

That expansion is a result of increased on-campus enrollment, which has grown by 94% over the last decade.

“As interest in career-technical education has increased, demand for DACC programs has also grown, with several hundred students in recent years unable to enroll due to capacity limitations,” Poroda said.

The ongoing renovation of DACC’s high school student space is expected to allow an additional 200 to 250 students to enroll within the next two years. Once complete, the expansion will have capacity for up to 400 additional students.