Two Lake County school districts are heading into the May 5 ballot asking residents to sign off on new earned-income taxes, and they are not sugarcoating why. Painesville City Local Schools and Wickliffe City Schools say state funding cuts have already forced deep staffing and program reductions, and administrators warn those moves still fall short. Without new local revenue, they say the next round of cuts could mean school closures or hefty pay-to-play fees for families.
They are part of a much bigger trend across Ohio. The Ohio School Boards Association counted 65 school funding issues on the May ballot, and an unusually large slice, about 33, are income-tax requests that focus on earned income instead of property taxes. State Sen. Jerry Cirino has pushed back on complaints about state support, telling reporters that the state's contributions are fair and that districts that cannot win local backing may need to look at consolidation, as reported by News 5 Cleveland.
Painesville seeks 1.25% earned-income levy
The Painesville school board voted to place a continuing 1.25% earned-income tax on the May 5 ballot, and district leaders say it would generate roughly $3.4 million a year and "just barely balance" the budget after state cuts. District documents show Painesville lost about $2.24 million in state revenue this year and has put more than $3.6 million in reductions on the books, including eliminating 34 positions and shortening work calendars for roughly 170 employees. The district notes that about 70% of its funding comes from the state and that the levy would not apply to retirement income. More details are available from Painesville City Local Schools.
Wickliffe warns deep program cuts are coming
Wickliffe City Schools is asking voters to approve a 1% earned-income tax after announcing more than $2.3 million in cuts that are set to start next school year. The plan calls for about 32 fewer positions, the end of full-day kindergarten and reductions to busing and electives. The district has also proposed making all sports pay-to-play at a cost of roughly $1,200 per student-athlete, although a 2004 graduate stepped in with a $95,000 donation to cover spring athletics this season. District leaders, who say they are "cut to the bare bones," laid out these details in reporting by News 5 Cleveland.
What an earned-income tax would mean for residents
An earned-income levy applies only to wages, salaries and certain self-employment income, and typically does not touch retirement pay or many benefit payments under Ohio rules. The Ohio Department of Taxation's online "Finder" tool explains how school-district income taxes are structured and is where residents and employers can plug in an address to see whether a district income tax applies, according to the state's tax office at the Ohio Department of Taxation.
Next steps for voters
Painesville is holding a community presentation on April 29 at 7 p.m. at Heritage Middle School to walk through the district's financial outlook ahead of the vote, and both Painesville and Wickliffe will appear on the May 5 ballot. The decisions voters make will determine whether current cuts stay in place or deepen, with officials on both sides framing the choice as one between new local income-tax dollars and fewer programs or higher fees for students. For more information on what is at stake in Painesville, see the district's presentation at Painesville City Local Schools.
