News

Regional School Levies Largely Fail

By: Associated Press
Posted on: Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Update 10:56 p.m.

Unofficial results are in on five of eight school levies before voters this election day, with four of those five failing to pass.

The Rolling Hills Local School district emergency request levy passed with 67 percent of the vote in favor of the levy and 33 percent against it.

A tight margin between voters in the Cambridge City School District's emergency operating request. The levy was denied by voters, 54 percent voting against and 46 percent for.

The East Guernsey Local School district operating request failed as 61 percent of voters rejected the request and 39 percent supported it.

The Frontier Local School district income tax levy was shot down by 76 percent of voters, only 24 percent casting ballots in support.

Update 9:58 p.m.

Four regional school levies are largely losing, according to current numbers.

Final numbers are in for the Warren Local School district levy. Unofficial results show 62 percent of voters against the levy and 38 percent for the levy.

For the Bellaire Local School district proposed income tax levy, 62 percent of voters cast ballots against the levy, 38 percent cast ballots for the levy.

In the tax issue before Frontier Local School District, 76 percent of voters said no while 24 percent of ballot-casters said yes.

And in the East Guernsey Local School District emergency request, the additional levy was shot down by 61 percent of the voters, while 39 percent supported it.

The Cambridge City School district's emergency operating request remains split, 50% for and 50% against.

Update 9:25 p.m.

Numbers are close on on school levy in Guernsey County. The Cambridge City School District levy currently carries 52 percent of the vote for the levy and 48 percent against.

In the Rolling Hills Local School District level, 70 percent for the emergency request and 30 percent against.

Update 8:27 p.m.

Absentee totals out of Washington County show 720 votes against (59 percent) the bond issue and tax levy and 509 votes for (41 percent) the bond issue and tax levy. The bond and levy would be for new construction.

Superintendent Tom Gibbs told WOUB News the school district took the proposed high school off the building plan in the hopes of appeasing voters. This is the fifth time the levy has gone before voters.

The hotly-contested ballot referendum on public employee union rights could have an impact on local tax measures across the state.

The statewide referendum is expected to drive up voter turnout. More than 200 school districts have levies, bond issues or other tax measures before voters.

In southeast Ohio, eight school levies are before voters in Belmont, Guernsey, Monroe and Washington Counties.

– In Belmont County, the Bellaire Local School District has a proposed one percent income tax for five years for current expenses. A tax levy renewal is also on the ballot for the Shadyside Local School District for 4.5 mills for four years for permanent improvements.

– In Guernsey County, three school districts have levies on the ballot. Cambridge City School District's emergency operating request is for five years at a millage rate of 12.84. The Rolling Hills Local School District Emergency request for five years and East Guernsey Local School District Emergency request an additional levy of 8.62 mills for 10 years.

– In Monroe County, the Switzerland of Ohio Local School District has renewal tax levy of 2.5 mills for 3 years before voters.

– In Washington County, the 5.9 mills levy and bond for construction on the ballot for the Warren Local Schools district is before voters for a fifth time. If passed, the money will go toward building three new elementary schools and one new middle school. Frontier Local School District also has a .75 percent income tax levy on the ballot for current expenses and permanent improvements.