Community Letter from the Superintendent
Posted on 03/01/2024
On Friday, March 1, Dr. Gabriel Lofton, Superintendent, sent a letter to Xenia Community Schools families. See it as it was sent, or read it in its entirety below:
Friday, March 1, 2023
Dear Xenia Community Schools Family,
As you may be aware, the City of Xenia is working hard to bring businesses to our community through the Market District, the area previously known as Xenia Towne Square. To entice developers, they have put together a package that includes tax abatements and other incentives, and have asked Xenia Community Schools to voluntarily forego revenue in a way that will impact students for decades to come to improve that package.
We, of course, want to be good partners with the City, and I absolutely understand the importance of economic growth for our community. However, this growth cannot come at the expense of Xenia's students.
In a small town where individuals pay 80% of the school taxes, providing tax abatements for certain businesses and residences would only increase the tax burden on the people who are already paying.
Today, I am reaching out to make sure that our families are aware of the proposal, and what this can mean for our schools.
Under Ohio law, the City can take 75% of the tax revenue intended for schools for up to 10 years as part of the TIF, which is for residential property. Also, allowable by law, they can take 100% of property taxes as part of a CRA, which is for commercial property for up to 15 years. In addition to what they are taking that is allowed under law, they are requesting that the XCS school board voluntarily give them our share of what is left, which is a combination of an extension of years under TIF and further taxes that the school district would otherwise be entitled to if this development were to move forward — potentially amounting to millions in lost revenue for the school district over 30 years.
As a school superintendent, I can appreciate the pressures our City leadership is
facing, but this request to our Board of Education to forego the remaining portion of the property taxes from certain businesses and residences, in my opinion, would have serious long-term consequences and implications for the school district’s financial health and stability. It is my hope that our Board and the City will not rush into any agreement without performing due diligence in this matter, and that we take the time to better understand and engage the community on the impact this decision would have on our schools in the short and long term future.
Additionally, I know that the cost to educate students is only going to go up in years to come, as costs continue to rise and the demands on our school system increase. Cutting into the budget for educating our children when it needs to be healthy, strong, and stable to meet their needs is not fiscally responsible, and would unduly impact individual property owners.
Ultimately, any agreement that does not make the school district ‘whole’ and does not contain mechanisms that provide for a true accounting of where all the funds are flowing, is truly unacceptable to me. This asks our young learners and their families to bear the burden of economic development.
Sincerely,
Dr. Gabriel Lofton, Superintendent