Voters in the Cincinnati Public School district will see a new levy on the ballot in November.
In a 5-2 vote Monday night, Cincinnati's Board of Education decided to proceed with a proposal for a five-year, 0.75% earned income tax. If approved by voters, it would generate $74 million annually.
The school district's administration says additional revenue is badly needed. In June, the school board voted to approve more than 100 job cuts district-wide, to help close a $58 million budget gap. The district's treasurer now warns that CPS may need to consolidate schools, add pay-to-play fees for athletics, and reduce student transportation services to avoid deficit spending in 2027 without a new levy.
Board members were split on whether the district should adopt an income tax or a property tax, with both sides expressing concern about which option voters would support.
Board of Education Vice President Kareem Moffett was strongly opposed to a property tax proposal, saying it would be an excessive burden on homeowners in the district.
"I don't want to hit property owners. I just don't want to do that," Moffett told her fellow board members. "But I know we need a levy."
Board members Ben Lindy and Eve Bolton voted against the resolution to put the new income tax before voters. Bolton said her decision came down to the school district historically having success with property taxes at the ballot box, adding that voters are less familiar with an income tax for schools and may be skeptical come election day.
"I have great reservations about having 99 days to make people be able to fully understand or have thousands of more people be directly taxed that have never in 200 years been taxed for schools," Bolton said.
If approved, the earned income tax levy would cost an individual making $100,000 in wages annually $750 per year, or $62.50 per month. The tax would not affect income from Social Security.
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