CINCINNATI — Voters across Greater Cincinnati delivered mixed results on several major school funding measures, approving new funding in some districts while rejecting proposals in others.
Cincinnati Public Schools received a major boost, with voters approving the district’s levy by a wide margin. About 61% of voters supported the measure, compared with 39% who voted against it.
It is the first levy Cincinnati Public Schools has gotten passed in more than a decade.
Superintendent Shauna Murphy thanked voters and those who worked to support the measure in a statement released overnight.
She said she knows residents are paying for this investment and will explain where the money goes and report on students.
The levy is expected to cost someone with a gome market value of $100,000 a year about $245 annually.
The additional funding comes as Cincinnati Public Schools faces a projected $58.6 million budget deficit. District leaders have been considering layoffs, potential school closures and other cost-cutting measures.
District leaders have said passage of the levy will not solve all of the district’s financial challenges but will help address its looming shortfall.
North College Hill measure fails
Voters in North College Hill rejected the school district’s proposed earned income tax, with about 52% voting against the measure.
District leaders previously warned North College Hill City Schools could face nearly $2 million in cuts if voters did not approve the levy.
The superintendent told WCPO in September that the district could potentially enter a fiscal emergency and be forced to make significant cuts, including to staff, sports and academic programs.
At the time, district leaders estimated at least 10 to 15 staff members, teachers and coaches could be affected.
Lakota bond issue passes
Meanwhile, voters approved Lakota Local Schools’ bond issue, with nearly 26,000 people voting in favor of the measure.
The bond will cost property owners about $77 annually for every $100,000 in property value.
School leaders have said the money will be used to renovate and expand buildings serving students in grades six through 12.
Lakota is one of Ohio’s largest school districts, and district leaders expect enrollment to continue growing. They have said the additional funding will help the district upgrade facilities to accommodate that growth.
Franklin voters approve Issue 4 while Lebanon proposal fails
In Warren County, voters delivered different outcomes for two school districts seeking additional funding through earned income taxes.
Franklin City Schools' Issue 4 passed. The measure creates a 1% earned income tax that the district estimates will generate about $7 million annually over the next five years.
District officials have said the additional revenue will help restore all-day kindergarten, expand transportation and reduce pay-to-participate fees. The earned income tax does not apply to retirement income.
The victory comes after previous Franklin school funding measures failed.
Lebanon City Schools, however, did not receive the additional funding it was seeking from voters. Its earned income tax proposal failed.
Ahead of the election, Lebanon Superintendent Isaac Seevers said the district's financial challenges were part of a broader conversation about how Ohio funds public education.
District leaders had warned that without additional funding, more cuts could be ahead.
