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Protestors hold signs outside of Manpower Park in Jackson protesting public school funding
Protestors hold signs outside of Manpower Park protesting public school funding. [Ty Carpenter | WOUB]

Jackson residents protest public school funding cuts as an amendment to eliminate property taxes statewide looms

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JACKSON, Ohio (WOUB) – Jackson County residents voiced their concerns Saturday over major cuts to public school funding, which they fear could lead to a lower quality of education.

About 60 people gathered at Manpower Park to protest proposed education cuts in the state budget and an amendment to eliminate property taxes statewide that could make its way to the ballot this November.

Jessica Harper, a teacher in Jackson County, said eliminating property taxes would have serious consequences.

Jessica Harper holds a sign, reading "If we have no property taxes, we will lose public education, police, fire departments, EMS, and Parks"
Jessica Harper holds a sign protesting an amendment to eliminate property taxes. [Ty Carpenter | WOUB]
“Without having property taxes, we would see a total decline in our community as a whole,” she said. “Not even just in public school districts …. We would not have this park here if we didn’t have property taxes.”

Property tax revenue makes up 27.5% of the Jackson City School District‘s revenue, and Harper said major cuts would have to be made if that revenue is lost.

“If we cannot be fully funded, then we’re going to have to start looking at making cuts. Not only to programs and athletics, but also to our teaching staff and our support staff as well,” Harper said.

If teaching jobs are cut, class sizes increase. According to the National Education Association, since the pandemic, students have increasingly complicated academic and mental health needs. It becomes more difficult to personalize education as class sizes grow, leading to a lower quality of education.

“If we don’t have the staff necessary to give these students the best education that we can possibly provide, we are doing a disservice not only to those students, but our community as well,” Harper said.

Two Ohio legislators were in attendance, with State Sen. Bill Demora and Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo taking questions from protestors.

“Our local public schools … they are the center of the community. They are often the center of community identity and sometimes the largest employer in a community as well,” Russo remarked. She shared the concerns of the protestors, and promised action from the state legislature.

“When they do not have the funding they need to fully operate and educate our students, I fear there are real consequences for that,” Russo said. “It’s incredibly harmful at the end of the day for our children. So we must step up as a state to address those needs.”