State proposal to make it harder to pass property tax levies worries Stark County leaders
Stark County leaders say a state proposal to make it more difficult to pass local property tax levies could hurt essential services.
The legislation by Reps. David Thomas, R-Jefferson, and Angie King, R-Celina, would raise the threshold for passing levies for schools, libraries, parks and other services to 60% rather than a simple majority.
Some lawmakers say it would ensure levies have the full support of the community at a time when many homeowners are being hit with big property tax increases.
The Canton Repository examined election results from November 2022 through May 2025 in Stark County. The newspaper found there were a total of 117 tax issues on the ballot, with 93 of those passing with a simple majority. But 35 of the 93 issues would have failed if a 60% majority were required.
When the Stark Library levy passed in 2019, it was approved with just over 51% approval.
"If that provision had been effect in 2019 when we were on the ballot, it would not have passed," said Mary Ellen Icaza, Stark Library CEO and executive director. "We would not be able to provide the services that we are now providing to our community, and there would be significant, significant impacts."
The eight-year levy is still active and represents 58% of the library system's funding.
Icaza said property tax levies are the most lucrative way for the library system to raise funds.
"The proposal, as it stands with the 60% required passage, I think it undermines the principle of majority rule in Ohio," she said. "It certainly would make it more difficult to pass any library levies."
The Perry Township Fire Department passed a 4.9-mill replacement levy in November. According to official election results, the levy had 50.15% approval and passed by just 43 votes.
Perry Township Fire Chief Larry Sedlock said the department relies on the property tax levy for the vast majority of operations.
"We are a township; we rely heavily on property taxes," he said.
While the idea of granting property tax relief sounds appealing, Sedlock said he does not see how the department could operate without those funds.
"The money has got to come from someplace," he said. "I'm sure property owners such as myself would enjoy that relief, but I'm just not sure how they're going to go about it."
Kevin Tobin, retiring superintendent of Lake Local Schools, said the proposal to raise the threshold is the latest in a series of attacks on public education in Ohio.
"The simple majority rules today, and I don't understand why they want to go away from that," he said. "We're already under siege. It's just another weaponization against public education."
'Roller coaster': Stark County school districts facing uncertainty about state funding
Public schools are dependent on property tax revenue. Tobin said it's put the burden on homeowners.
"It is disheartening to know that we continue to just strap the backs of our property owners," he said. "The funding model is broken."
But right now, there aren't any sufficient alternatives to levies, Tobin said.
"Every district's got booster clubs, every district has academic boosters, every district is trying to raise money," he said. "Everybody's looking for alternative revenue streams to enhance our student experiences, because our income that we're getting from the state is not enough to do the things we do."
Lake Local Schools passed a five-year, 9.5-mill levy in March 2024 after two previous attempts failed. It had 54% approval.
"It took us three times to pass a levy that literally does not generate enough funds to do all that we would like to do for our children," Tobin said, "and that's frustrating."
Tobin has been through the difficult process of constantly asking voters for new levies. Increasing the threshold would just make it harder, he said.
"It is very difficult to go through a levy cycle and keep everybody positive and moving in the right direction," he said. "It is one of the more difficult things that you are asked to do as an educational leader."
In the most recent election on May 6, all of the tax issues that were approved in Stark County passed with over 60% of the vote.
The tax issues included a countywide replacement levy for Stark County Children Services, which passed with 62% approval and a Louisville Library District renewal levy, which passed with just over 60% of the vote.
That was not the case for the Nov. 5 general election.
There was a mixed bag of outcomes for tax issues in that election. Ten issues passed with under 60% approval, including a Lawrence Township police levy, which passed with over 56% approval, and the Perry Township fire levy.
Here's how many issues would've been impacted from the last three years if the threshold to pass was 60%:
May 2025 election: Two issues that were approved would have failed.
November 2024: Ten approved issues wouldn't have passed.
March 2024: Four approved issues wouldn't have passed.
November 2023: Twelve approved issues wouldn't have passed.
May 2023: Four approved issues wouldn't have passed.
November 2022: Three approved issues wouldn't have passed.
Reach Grace at 330-580-8364 or gspringer@gannett.com. Follow her on X @GraceSpringer16.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Stark leaders weigh in on proposed property tax levy changes
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