East-side families with children in Cincinnati Public Schools face two tax levies on the Nov. 3 ballot, and the deadline to register to vote is Oct. 5.

The CPS Board of Education voted 5-1, with one abstention, on Aug. 3 to place a five-year, 7-mill property tax levy before voters. The board also voted 6-1 to rescind a previously approved 0.75% earned-income tax proposal in favor of the property tax approach. If approved, the levy would generate roughly $66.3 million a year, with collections starting in January 2027. For the owner of a $100,000 home, the cost would be about $245 annually, according to the district.

The levy would directly affect families at Kilgour School, Hyde Park School, Clark Montessori High School and Withrow University High School.

CPS has not passed a new-money levy since 2016. The district closed a projected $58 million budget gap this year and adopted a balanced $630.2 million general-fund budget for 2026-27, but the cuts were steep. At a June 22 meeting, the board eliminated 111 positions, including 81 central-office workers, 12 social workers, 10 assistant principals and eight counselors, WLWT reported. Five mandatory unpaid furlough days were also imposed on teachers and administrators.

Without new revenue, the district has warned it could close or consolidate schools, increase class sizes, eliminate teaching positions and introduce pay-to-play fees for athletics.

"Further reductions would change what students and families experience in our schools," Superintendent Shauna Murphy said Aug. 3, when the board approved the levy. "This proposal would provide recurring funding to help preserve strong instruction, critical support and meaningful opportunities for students."

Board President Brandon Craig told WCPO in June that the district's financial reality is driving the request, noting CPS has not asked voters for new money in almost a decade and that state investment has declined.

Children's Services levy also on the ballot

The CPS levy is not alone. Hamilton County commissioners approved a four-year, 5.61-mill levy for Children's Services, which investigates child abuse and neglect and helps place children with foster or adoptive families. That levy would cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $121 per year, up from roughly $82 under the expiring levy, and would raise about $117 million annually, Axios Cincinnati reported.

If both levies pass, a homeowner with a $100,000 property would pay about $245 for CPS and $121 for Children's Services, a combined increase of roughly $284 over current taxes.

Ohio Issue 3, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment that would enshrine current voter photo-ID requirements in the state constitution, is also on the ballot.

How to register

The Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library's 41 locations, including the Oakley Branch and Hyde Park libraries, will accept voter registration and update forms through close of business on Oct. 5. Forms can also be submitted online or by calling the Hamilton County Board of Elections at 513-946-8500.

Early voting begins Tuesday, Oct. 6, both by mail and in person at the Board of Elections, 4700 Smith Road in Norwood. Mail-in ballot applications must reach the board by 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27. Completed ballots must arrive by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. No grace period exists for mail-in ballots, except for military or overseas voters.

Ohio law requires a photo ID for in-person voting.

The League of Women Voters Voter Guide will be available at library locations the week of Oct. 2, with a digital version at vote411.org going live that same week.