After failing to win over voters in the Nov. 2024 election, Mt. Healthy City Schools is putting another levy on the ballot this year to dig itself out of a financial hole.
The district's Financial Planning and Supervision Commission voted Thursday to proceed with a five-year emergency levy on the May ballot. The levy is expected to generate $1.5 million annually.
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The commission has assumed much of the responsibilities of Mt. Healthy's Board of Education since the district was put in fiscal emergency in early 2024. The state auditor assigned the designation after the district's previous treasurer discovered a financial forecasting error leading to a projected budget deficit of $10.8 million.
Since then, the district has made significant cuts to close its budget gap and to repay a nearly $11 million state loan to cover its expenses for the year.
In November, 55% of voters in the Mt. Healthy district rejected the proposed continuous levy. The school district will look to do better this time around.
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Superintendent Valerie Hawkins told the commission the new levy won't fix the district's financial issues, but it will help.
"We are hopeful that this will be some money at least coming in," she said.
Since being placed in fiscal emergency, Mt. Healthy has cut more than 100 positions, many of them teachers, and has more cuts planned in the coming years.
Even if the May levy does pass, the school system will still likely freeze employee salaries, and make cuts to athletics and student transportation.
