PERRYSBURG, Ohio — Amazon will pay Rossford schools more than $600,000 a year for 10 years as a part of an agreement for a tax abatement for a second warehouse the company is building in Wood County.
With school overcrowding being a big problem just next door in Perrysburg, people WTOL 11 spoke to think the city should consider going after developments like the Amazon facility to reel in more money for the school district.
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"Perrysburg has a dilemma right now. There's no doubt about it," Perrysburg resident Larry Leyland said.
Leyland said he's lived in Perrysburg for a long time. When he heard about the new Amazon facility coming to Perrysburg Township, and not the city of Perrysburg, he wasn't shocked.
"It didn't surprise me because I know the township has been very active in recruiting commercial and industrial facilities into that area," Leyland said. "Perrysburg for some reason has always been focused on the residential part."
Perrysburg Township trustees approved the 10-year, 100% tax abatement with Amazon. In exchange, Rossford Schools will get $641,600 a year for the same amount of time.
WTOL 11 has reported a majority of the tax dollars from the first Amazon facility paid for Rossford's multi-million-dollar athletic complex, "The R."
"I think it's wonderful, Perrysburg should look more into that," said Perrysburg resident Kelly Ewbank.
Ewbank has lived in the city most of her life and is a former member of the Perrysburg Local Schools board. She said she didn't vote for the previous school levy, intended to alleviate overcrowding, in March.
"I didn't like exactly what they were asking for, adding onto the existing elementaries," she said.
But Ewbank wasn't the only voter who felt that way. The past two levy attempts failed and she thinks the district and the city rely on taxpayer dollars too much.
"That balance of getting money and relying on commercial is not there like other areas like Rossford," Ewbank said.
The city of Perrysburg provided the following statement to WTOL 11 about attracting more development to the area:
"The City is always looking at ways to bring in more economic development and offers various development incentives to attract new businesses and retain existing ones including Revolving Loan Funds, Designated Enterprise Zones, and Community Reinvestment Areas. The City also works with county and state entities to expand local incentives."
Leyland thinks all school districts and governments surrounding Perrysburg should find a way to help the school district with its overcrowding problem.
"We all get together and say, 'we have to solve this problem,'" he said.
Penta Career Center will also receive $46,000 per year as part of the deal.
Wood County Commissioners voted Thursday morning to approve the tax abatement with Amazon, according to Wade Gottshalk, Executive Director of Wood County Economic Development.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to include information about the commissioners' approval.