Two proposals to raise property taxes for Columbus City Schools would cost nearly $250 per $100,000 of home value, an increase of about 18 percent. A citizen committee recommended the plans this morning for an operating levy that would appear on the November ballot. The panel made no recommendation on moving forward with an additional tax increase to continue the district's stalled school-rebuilding project, placing in doubt whether voters will also see a bond levy this fall to build new schools.

Two proposals to raise property taxes for Columbus City Schools would cost nearly $250 per $100,000 of home value, an increase of about 18 percent. A citizen committee recommended the plans Monday morning for an operating levy that would appear on the November ballot.

The panel made no recommendation on moving forward with an additional tax increase to continue the district's stalled school-rebuilding project, placing in doubt whether voters will see any bond levy this fall to build new schools.

A proposal to add an additional 1.5 mills on to the roughly 7 mills being considered for operations and maintenance could push the tax increase to just about 22 percent, or about $300 more per $100,000 of property value. Under that scenario, the tax bill just for schools on a $100,000 house would rise from $1,365 to as high as $1,665.

Members of the panel expressed concern about how the public will react.

Some members want the district to conduct polling before moving forward. Such an effort couldn't be funded by tax dollars, but rather through campaign donations or a third-party organization.

"We don't need another 'No,' " said Ronald McGuire, representing U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty on the panel. McGuire was referring to the last levy in 2013, which was opposed by almost 70 percent of voters.

"I think there's a big gap in what our needs are and what the community will accept," cautioned panel member Bob Weiler, a real-estate developer and a former member of the Columbus school board.

But others were more optimistic.

"Again, it's back to how we tell the story," said Lois Carson, who heads the union for the district's non-teaching staff.

The committee advanced two plans for board consideration: Both call for 5.58 new operating mills and a half-mill permanent-improvement levy that would raise roughly $4.4 million a year toward reducing a backlog of maintenance needs, such as resurfacing parking lots, replacing roofs and general upkeep. Under one plan, the district would collect 0.84 of a mill to finance a deferred-maintenance bond that could immediately raise $125 million for maintenance; the other plan would dedicate a full mill to a maintenance bond, raising an up-front $150 million.

With interest rates at generational lows, Weiler said it was hard to imagine them going lower.

"Let's borrow what we can as long as we can," district Treasurer Stan Bahorek recommended, agreeing with Weiler.

Despite those low rates, the panel debated putting the facilities project on hold, with Tracey Johnson, head of the district's teachers union, suggesting breaking up the vote on operations and new construction into two ballot questions. But Board of Education member Mary Jo Hudson said that might doom the operating levy, because it costs more than the building portion.

A separate facilities committee just wrapped up almost a half year of work, recommending that the district move forward with the rebuilding of 18 schools. Carson said it would send a confusing signal if no building projects were included in the plan. A 1.5-mill bond levy would raise about $224 million, which with a state match of up to 30 percent would be enough to fund reconstruction of 14 of the 18 buildings identified by the facilities committee, district spokesman Scott Varner said.

The board now has a few weeks to decide, but must start submitting paperwork by Thursday to ensure one of the options can go on the fall ballot. A final decision must be made by mid-July.