Cincinnati Public Schools families on the east side have a new way to get their budget questions answered before a Tuesday, Nov. 3 levy vote.

"Money Matters with Mike," a financial town hall series that streams live on Facebook and is available on YouTube, is back for a second season. The next session is Monday, Oct. 5, at 6 p.m., and will feature three parent advocates as guests.

The Oct. 5 episode, titled "A Parent Conversation," will include LaRonda Thomas, a CPS parent champion; Terana Boyd of We Excel Cincy; and Christian Davis, founder of the Cincinnati Parent Empowerment Network.

Davis has pushed for more parent input in CPS budget decisions. At the Aug. 3 board meeting, when the board placed the property tax levy on the ballot, he told WCPO that parent input was lacking. "The voices that need to be heard and included currently aren't being heard and included," he said.

The series comes as the district faces serious financial pressure. The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce has placed CPS in fiscal caution status, projecting a $44.5 million deficit by fiscal year 2029 if no new revenue comes in, as first reported by WVXU. The district must submit a state-approved financial recovery plan by Monday, Nov. 30. The levy's projected revenue cannot count toward that plan.

The Cincinnati Board of Education has placed a five-year, 7-mill operating levy on the Nov. 3 ballot. According to the district's levy page, the measure would generate roughly $66.3 million a year. For a home valued at $100,000, the estimated annual cost is $245. CPS has not placed a new levy on the ballot since November 2016, when voters approved a Preschool Promise levy.

The stakes are direct for east-side families. If the levy fails, the district has outlined potential cuts including school closures or consolidations, larger class sizes, reduced transportation, less school security, and fees for athletics. Superintendent Shauna Murphy has said further reductions would come from direct services to students, with Montessori programs and community learning centers potentially at risk. That puts Clark Montessori, which serves families across Hyde Park and Oakley, squarely in the conversation.

At the Sept. 28 board meeting, Gustin laid out how few options remain. "Big savings come from big costs … We've cut all the paper clips," he told the board, as reported by WVXU. "Those were cut a couple years ago, and unfortunately our most significant cost is staffing."

The first "Money Matters with Mike" session was scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 2, featuring Board Vice President Kareem Moncree-Moffett. The CPS announcement describes the series as bringing financial information "out of the spreadsheets and into conversations" accessible to the community. No additional sessions beyond Oct. 5 have been announced.

The Oct. 5 session streams at 6 p.m. on the CPS Facebook page and YouTube channel.