Orange voters could be staring at a double ask on Nov. 3, as Orange City Schools and Orange Village move toward separate tax issues that might land on the same ballot. On one side, school leaders are modeling a 5-mill operating levy aimed at strengthening cash reserves. On the other, village officials are preparing a bond issue to pay for a new fire station and a renovation of Village Hall near Harvard and Brainard.
How the Measures Took Shape
The 5-mill operating levy concept surfaced in recent Orange Board of Education discussions, where members raised concerns about declining reserves and debated whether to seek new revenue sooner rather than later, according to Cleveland.com. Board members told the outlet they were weighing a November 2026 ballot issue against waiting until 2027, and they have not yet taken a formal vote.
School Finances in Plain Numbers
The district’s February 2026 five-year forecast from the Orange City School District spells out why that debate is getting urgent. Nearly 90 percent of the district’s operating revenue comes directly or indirectly from local property taxpayers. On its current course, the forecast shows Orange could slip below its 25 percent reserve benchmark, roughly equal to 90 days of operating cash, in 2027.
The same forecast includes a separate scenario described as a “path with levy approved in 2026.” In that model, a 5-mill operating levy keeps district cash balances above the 90-day reserve line through 2030, which district leaders say is the reason a levy of that size is under discussion.
Village Bond Would Pay for Fire Station and Hall Renovations
At the same time, Orange Village officials are sketching out their own big-ticket project list. A planned bond issue would cover construction of a new fire station and renovations to Village Hall. Architectural firm DS Architecture unveiled concept designs at a March 12 public meeting, and the village is eyeing the southwest corner of Harvard and Brainard as the site for the replacement station, according to Orange Village.
“We are excited to build for our future,” Mayor Judson Kline wrote in a village update, noting that council and planners intend to shape a bond package once cost estimates are finalized and residents have had a chance to weigh in.
Timeline and What to Expect
If both efforts stay on track, voters could be asked to decide on the school levy and village bond in the same election. Cleveland.com reports the school board may consider formal action in June or July to put an operating levy on the Nov. 3 ballot, and officials were told that the filing deadline to certify November issues falls in early August.
Residents who want to follow the school side of the process can track meeting dates, agendas and minutes through the Board of Education section of the district website at the Orange Board of Education page.
The district’s forecast materials also point out that Orange’s last two operating levies were each set at 5 mills. Voters approved those in 2004 and 2011, and the board has not yet taken official action to place another day-to-day operating levy on the ballot. A historical levy table and a tax-rate comparison, which places Orange in the lower third of Cuyahoga County districts, are included in the forecast documents.
For now, both the school district and the village remain in planning mode. The school board, village council and municipal staff are expected to keep holding public meetings through spring and summer as they refine budgets, schedules and potential ballot language. If either body decides to move ahead, residents should see clearer timelines and formal resolutions. Until then, the most direct way to weigh in is to review the published materials and show up at meetings, where the details are still very much in play.
