Voters Decide on $289 Million in New School Taxes

Eleven school districts in the Greater Cincinnati region will ask voters to approve $289 million in new funding measures on Tuesday. The ballots feature a mix of operating levies, property tax increases, and bond issues. Each measure targets a specific financial gap within the districts.

Cincinnati Public Schools proposes the largest single increase. The district seeks approval for a five-year, seven-mill operating property tax levy. Officials estimate this measure would generate more than $66 million annually. The district stated that the levy is necessary to maintain normal operations and avoid state takeover.

Lakota Local Schools is the only district seeking a bond issue. Voters there will decide on a $223 million replacement bond for the schools’ master facilities plan. This figure far exceeds the annual operating costs proposed by other districts. The bond funds construction and physical infrastructure rather than day-to-day expenses.

Six districts are asking for earned income tax levies. These include Fairfield, Franklin, Lebanon, North College Hill, Northwest, and Southwest Local Schools. Sycamore Community Schools and Winton Woods City Schools are also proposing property tax levies. Bethel Tate Local Schools is attempting to extend a fixed-sum operating levy.

District officials cited projected million-dollar budget deficits as the primary driver for the requests. Most of the eleven districts have already implemented cuts for the current school year. The new levies aim to prevent further reductions to programs and staff positions if they pass.

Some districts are returning to the ballot after years without a vote. Others are resubmitting measures that failed in previous elections. The variety of financial tools reflects the different fiscal challenges each community faces. Voters will cast their ballots on Election Day to determine the future funding structure for these eleven education systems.