Cincinnati voters approved Issue 4 on Tuesday, Nov. 3, giving Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) a new source of operating money for the first time in a decade.
The five-year, 7-mill property tax levy will generate roughly $66.3 million a year, according to WCPO. With 99% of the vote counted, 61% of voters supported the measure, Local 12 reported. Those results are unofficial and pending certification.
For property owners in Hyde Park, Oakley and Mount Lookout, the levy will cost an estimated $245 a year for a home valued at $100,000, according to the district, as Local 12 reported.
What drove the levy
CPS had cut more than 100 positions to close a projected $58.6 million budget deficit, according to WCPO. District leaders said the reductions included layoffs, retirements and vacant positions across multiple departments.
Local 12 detailed four areas where cuts landed: 81 central office positions, 12 social workers, eight counselors and 10 assistant principals. The district also imposed five furlough days for all staff, reduced school non-personnel spending by 10% and eliminated the International Baccalaureate (IB) program.
CPS had warned it faced rising operational costs, declining enrollment and the end of federal COVID-19 relief funding that had temporarily stabilized finances, according to WCPO. District officials said without the levy and additional revenue, CPS would face deeper reductions in staffing and programming.
How the levy reached the ballot
The Cincinnati Board of Education voted in July to place the measure on the ballot. The board initially approved a 0.75% earned income tax levy, Local 12 reported. After a week of criticism, the board voted on Aug. 3 to rescind that option and instead put the 7-mill property tax levy before voters.
The levy drew opposition from Cincinnati's business community. In October, the Cincinnati Business Committee, the Cincinnati Regional Chamber and the Cincinnati Regional Business Committee stated in a letter that they could not support the measure, according to Local 12. The groups said the district had not been clear about how it would spend the money and that the tax increase was too large. They also said CPS had not completed a facilities master plan and that the levy could jeopardize a children's services levy also on the ballot.
Recovery plan still due
The win does not end CPS's fiscal challenges. Ohio placed the district in "fiscal caution" status in September, according to WCPO. That designation is different from a fiscal emergency, which would give the state control of the district's finances and decision-making.
CPS must submit a recovery plan to the state by Nov. 30. District leaders said the plan cannot factor in the levy's outcome, meaning potential cuts must be planned independently of the new revenue, WCPO reported.
Superintendent Shauna Murphy has said everything except state-mandated minimums was on the table for cuts. "All of this, other than a state minimum, of what we're required by law to do, is on the table," Murphy said, according to Local 12. CPS Treasurer Gustin told Local 12 that the state's most recent budget calculated costs equivalent to 2022 levels, making districts look wealthier than they are. He also said property tax reform bills passed in January are affecting how districts benefit from property tax reappraisals.
East-side schools at a glance
The levy will provide operating revenue to schools across the district, including east-side campuses such as Kilgour, Clark Montessori and Withrow. In the most recent state report cards, Kilgour School at 1339 Herschel Ave. in Mount Lookout earned five stars overall, the highest rating possible. Withrow University High School at 2488 Madison Road jumped from 2.5 to 3.5 stars overall.
The CPS School Selection Process for the 2027-28 school year also closes Nov. 30. Families apply through Focus, the district's Student Information System (SIS). Placement notifications go out in January 2027.
