DELAWARE — The Delaware Area Career Center is seeking a renewal of its 10-year levy, but this time at a reduced millage rate.
If approved Nov. 3, the levy would decrease from 1.7 mills to 0.75 mills, a reduction of 0.95 mills, according to DACC.
The proposal would lower the annual cost for property owners from $34 to $18 per $100,000 of market value, saving property owners an estimated $16 annually, based on figures from the Delaware County Auditor’s Office.
Delaware County Auditor George Kaitsa estimates the levy will collect $5,773,576 annually, at a combined rate not exceeding 0.75 mill for each $1 of taxable value.
The levy would take effect for tax year 2026, with payments beginning in 2027.
The ballot question will be placed in front of voters who live in one of the four Career Technical Planning Districts: Buckeye Valley, Big Walnut, Delaware City and Olentangy Schools.
Why DACC is seeking a lower tax rate
DACC Superintendent Jay Poroda said the levy supports career and technical education, workforce development, continuing education for adults, career awareness programs for younger students and partnerships with local businesses.
“DACC has been in the community since 1974 and it (the levy) supports the services that benefit Delaware County,” Poroda said.
The levy was last approved in 2015, and Poroda said the November election is the district’s final opportunity to renew it.
Poroda said the school board determined DACC could continue providing its existing services while reducing the amount taxpayers contribute.
“Our board prides itself in being good stewards of taxpayer dollars,” Poroda said.
Poroda emphasized he was explaining the levy as a public official, not advocating for or against its passage.
What would the levy fund?
The ballot language identifies improvements, renovations, remodeling, expansions, furnishings and equipment for school buildings and facilities as uses for the funding.
It also supports day-to-day operations as well as long-term investments, including career and technical education programs, staffing, equipment and facility maintenance, Poroda said.
It is separate from the district’s planned facility expansion projects, which DACC funds through existing financial planning and resources.
That includes the current expansion of the high school student space, which DACC officials expect to allow an additional 200 to 250 students to enroll within the next two years, according to previous Delaware Source reporting.
What happens if the levy fails?
Poroda said DACC would lose a significant source of funding if voters reject the renewal.
Without that revenue, he said, the district would have less flexibility to respond to workforce and community needs, potentially delaying new programming and increasing wait times for students seeking enrollment.
“We’re not like a traditional K-12, we have seen tremendous growth in the past 10 years. We’re continually adding programs, responding to industry needs and community needs,” he said.
He also pointed to the cost of program equipment. For example, students in the Fire Service Training learn with a functional fire truck, which can cost anywhere from $800,000 to $1 million, Poroda said.
“We’re an educational hub, but also an economic development hub,” Poroda said.
The DACC district encompasses nearly all of Delaware County, but also parts of Franklin, Marion, Morrow and Union counties.
