Purpose of this website: I live and
pay taxes in Beavercreek. I've tried to understand how local
tax
levies actually work and how they affect me and the rest of the
community, to help me decide how to vote on proposed new or renewal
levies. I've learned there's no simple answer to a
lot of
the questions I had. This website documents facts I've learned by talking with other residents, with public officials, and with the
Greene County Auditor's Office,
and by reading whatever I could find related to the subject.
If you see any mistakes or omissions, please
e-mail
me at comment@beavercreektax.net.
School taxes vs. city taxes: The
Beavercreek School District and the
City
of Beavercreek are two separate entities, and have completely
separate tax levies. School taxes have nothing to do with city
operations, and city taxes have nothing to do with school district
operations. I occasionally participate in school board forums and
city council meetings, but I am not a member or employee of either
organization.
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Philosophy: I believe
the primary responsibility of
public officials is to minimize the long-term cost of public services
relative
to established performance standards. That means:
-
Employing and retaining the
right mix of people to provide
public services
- Providing the tools, training,
and other support those
people need to maximize their effectiveness
-
Investing in facilities and
equipment that will meet the
public's needs for a long time rather than a short time
- Providing the maintenance and
repair those assets need to
reach their intended service life
- Effectively managing the
purchase and use of utilities,
fuel, insurance, supplies, and all other "costs of doing business"
-
Providing publicly-visible
accounting of all financial
plans, all budgets, and all expenses, directly linked to specific
requirements
I will always vote FOR
tax
levies when the facts show those levies to be necessary
to provide public services at a minimum long-term cost relative to
established
performance standards. (That doesn't mean "cheaper" levies
are better--they may well be more expensive in the long run if,
for example, they don't provide enough money to perform necessary
maintenance.
Public officials are responsible for documenting those kinds of
facts in their financial plans and levy requests.) I will always
vote AGAINST tax levies when the facts do not meet that criteria.
I will always vote FOR
public
officials when the facts show those officials have actively
worked to minimize the long-term
cost of public
services relative to established performance standards. I will
always vote AGAINST public officials when the facts show otherwise.
This web site is intended to
document facts relevant to those voting decisions. If you have
any questions about the information on this site, or if any of the
facts are
wrong, or if you'd like to express your opinion about any of it, please
e-mail
me at comment@beavercreektax.net.
I will not post your
comments or name without your permission.
Dean Vinson
Beavercreek, OH
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