A Reply to Mr. Wombold from Mike Stegall

Editor's Note: The following was posted as a comment on this guest post from Ken Wombold by Mike Stegall. I felt that as it elaborates on the "renewal" piece of the issue, it would be good to post on its own so more people can see it.

Mr. Wombold, or Ken, a renewal levy is voter approved to extend the term and purpose of an expiring levy while considering original property valuations at the time of passage. Renewal mills have a reduction factor annually applied in order to raise the same amount of funding in the original year of passage. If passed at the identical mills as the original levy, a renewal levy normally will not change the amount of tax you currently pay. a Replacement levy is voter approved to extend the term and conditions of an expiring levy, but unlike renewal levies, takes the present day property valuation into consideration. Therefore, replacement levies generally benefit from the increase in value since the passage of the original, or "replaced" levy. If passed at the identical mills as the original levy, a replacement levy will normally increase you tax if the value of the property has risen since the original passage of the levy. Note too that an ADDITIONAL or NEW LEVY will increase taxes.