By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
After losing its last appeal, Rover pipeline has filed again to try to avoid paying the ordered taxes to school districts across the state.
In Wood County alone, the pipeline had a tax value of $266 million. However, Rover has instead agreed to a tax value of $131 million.
“We’re still fighting to get the value maintained,” Bowling Green City School Treasurer Cathy Schuller said Tuesday evening during a school board meeting.
Rover had previously filed – and lost – an appeal with the Ohio tax commission. Now it has filed with the state board of tax appeals.
The ruling on the latest appeal is not expected until May of 2021, Schuller said.
Still in question is whether or not school districts would have to pay a refund if Rover wins this appeal, she said.
School districts and county auditors across Ohio have teamed up to fight for the original tax valuations.
“We just take it one day at a time,” Schuller said.
Bowling Green Superintendent Francis Scruci praised the school board for not buckling when some citizens said the district should use pipeline tax revenue for a new school building – rather than seeking a levy from taxpayers.
“This is exactly why,” Scruci said. “You guys made a very good decision.”
These repeated appeals make it difficult to plan for pipeline revenue, Schuller said. If this latest appeal made it all the way to the Ohio Supreme Court, it could take four or five years to find out if Bowling Green gets the originally ordered amount, she said.
“This creates a lot of uncertainty from year to year,” Scruci said.
“It holds us hostage for a lot of money,” board president Ginny Stewart said.
In other business at Tuesday’s school board meeting, Stewart praised efforts of the district’s staff.
She recognized Schuller and her staff for earning the Ohio Auditor of State Award, which is earned by just 8% of the state’s school districts.
“This district is grateful for all your hard work,” Stewart said.
Also recognized was Beth Krolak, the district’s technology coordinator, who has been “invaluable to the district in so many ways,” Stewart said.
“We know this has been a trying time,” with the district going all online – but Krolak has spent countless hours to make it work as well as possible for staff and students, Stewart said.
