Cincinnati Property Tax Levy Faces Sharp Divide Over Funding

Cincinnati voters face a direct choice on how to fund their public schools. The district proposes a five-year, seven-mill property tax levy to cover rising costs, while business leaders and a new political action group urge a pause to review spending plans before raising taxes.

The measure, known as Issue 4, would generate an estimated $66.3 million in additional annual revenue. The district states this money is necessary to maintain academic programs and avoid consolidating schools or cutting transportation services. For the average homeowner, the cost is projected at $245 for every $100,000 of property value.

Support for the levy includes endorsements from the Hamilton County Democratic Party, Mayor Aftab Pureval, and the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers. However, the Cincinnati Regional Chamber and the Cincinnati Business Committee have voiced strong opposition. In September, Chamber CEO Brendon Cull and Business Committee President Gary Lindgren sent a letter to district leaders asking for the effort to be paused. They cited a lack of a clear spending plan and the impact on resident tax bills.

Cull maintained the Chamber's opposition in a newsletter published this week. He noted that the levy will increase the tax Cincinnati homeowners pay for schools by about 20%. He argued that voters should see exactly how the district will use the new funds before agreeing to such a large increase.

Supporters counter that the opposition is driven by business interests. They point out that Lindgren serves on the board of IDEA Public Schools, a charter network with two Cincinnati schools. Another business committee leader, Kristina Phillips, works for the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, a conservative think tank that sponsors nine Ohio charter schools, including IDEA.

A new anti-levy group, the Coalition for an Affordable Cincinnati, launched a few weeks after the business leaders' letter. The group is led by Jay Kincaid and former board member Ozie Davis. Davis, who was paid $5,000 to serve as treasurer, runs ads highlighting that the district budget grew by $100 million while enrollment fell over the last decade. The coalition's only known backer is the Greater Cincinnati Opportunity Alliance, which contributed $50,000. That organization was created by Cameron Sagester and Natalie Baur just days before the PAC launched.

The pro-levy side has a wider financial base. The PAC Cincinnatians Active to Support Education raised more than $100,000 by mid-October, with recent donations pushing the total past $200,000. The Cincinnati Federation of Teachers contributed $50,000, the largest single union gift. Board member Jim Crossett donated $15,000. Treasurer Harriet Russell told the board that the campaign has sufficient resources because it is supported by parents, staff, and citizens across the district.

The Cincinnati Federation of Teachers organizer Michelle Dunn questioned the motives of those opposing the levy. She stated that asking voters to vote no while calling for accountability is effectively supporting corporate interests. The district now waits for the electorate to decide whether to approve the tax increase.