Cincinnati taxpayers approve $66.3M school levy

Cincinnati voters approved Issue 4 on Tuesday, securing a new property tax levy for Cincinnati Public Schools. The measure is projected to generate $66.3 million in annual revenue for the district.

This is the first new operating levy passed for the district in nearly ten years. The Cincinnati Board of Education placed the measure on the ballot in July after identifying a projected $58.6 million budget deficit. To address that shortfall, the board approved cuts affecting more than 100 positions. Those reductions included layoffs, retirements, and vacant positions across multiple departments.

District leaders previously warned that rising operational costs, declining enrollment, and the expiration of federal pandemic relief funding were straining finances. Officials stated that without the new levy and additional revenue, the district would face deeper reductions in staffing and programming in future budget cycles. The state of Ohio placed the district in fiscal caution status in September. This status is distinct from a fiscal emergency, which would grant the state control over the district's money and decision-making.

A household earning $100,000 annually will pay approximately $245 per year under the new levy. The tax will run for a five-year term. Supporters argued the measure was necessary to keep the district financially stable. Opponents contended that the current economic climate made the additional tax burden difficult for taxpayers to bear.

District leaders noted that the state-required recovery plan cannot factor in the outcome of the levy vote. Consequently, the district must plan potential cuts independently of the newly passed revenue. The district must submit its recovery plan to the state by November 30.