Voters in several Portage County communities will see tax issues on their November ballots.
Among the items facing general election voters Nov. 3 are renewal levies in Ravenna and Streetsboro school districts and an earned income tax to support a safety center in Ravenna.
Aug. 5 was the filing deadline for the November election. Because elected offices in November are partisan, candidates filed earlier this year for those offices. There will be no primaries for Portage voters.
School issues
In Aurora, which most recently considered a bond issue in 2024, voters face a bond issue to build an elementary school.
Voters will decide on a 4.26-mill bond issue that would cost homeowners $140 per year per $100,000 in home valuation. The issue would generate $96.2 million over 37 years.
Aurora City Schools’ Facilities Master Plan states the district plans to build a new elementary school on the Craddock Elementary School site for grades one to three. The existing building would be razed. A new transportation facility would be built on the former Craddock site to replace the district’s existing bus operations space. The funds also would pay for infrastructure improvements in the district.
In 2024, Aurora voters rejected a bond issue to build a new high school and revamp other buildings.
Voters in Ravenna, Streetsboro and Crestwood Local school districts will be asked to renew levies that do not increase taxes.
Ravenna voters will be asked to renew a 2.9-mill permanent improvement levy. The levy, which now expires every five years, would be a continuing levy, meaning it would not expire. The levy now generates about $950,000 per year for maintenance of district schools, many of which are 50 to 70 years old. Property owners would continue to pay $60 per year per $100,000 in home valuation.
The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission has offered to pay 76% of the cost of a new elementary school in Ravenna. Ravenna Board of Education has proposed building the school as an addition to the high school for students in kindergarten through sixth grade. Seventh- and eighth-graders will move to the high school this fall, which means all district students eventually will be educated on the same campus.
Kristen Plageman, who then was treasurer of the Ravenna Schools, previously said the levy dollars would be redirected to pay the district’s share of the new school. After about $250,000 a year is set aside for maintenance, the remaining $700,000 would cover loan payments. Proceeds from sales of buildings also would be used toward building costs, the district said.
Streetsboro City Schools is seeking a combined 5.1-mill renewal levy on Nov. 3. The measure combines the district’s existing 3.6-mill general fund levy and 1.5-mill permanent improvement levy. Both issues originally were passed in 2007. They have been renewed twice. The issue will not increase taxes.
In the May 5 primary election, Streetsboro voters rejected a 7-mill, five-year property tax. It was Streetsboro’s third consecutive request for new funding. The district’s Board of Education has yet to decide what kind of issue it will eventually put before voters to obtain new funding.
Crestwood voters will be asked to renew a 0.5-mill, five-year general permanent improvement levy that generates $501,830 annually. Property owners would continue to pay $26 per year per $100,000 in property value.
Municipal, township, village issues
Ravenna again will seek a 0.25% income tax. In May, voters rejected an identical income tax that would have funded a new police station, fire station and city hall.
Like the prior request, the income tax would generate $25 million over 30 years to construct the building at the former Ravenna High School property at East Main Street and Clinton Avenue. It would have replaced existing buildings at Park Way and Spruce Avenue.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s City Income Tax Calculator, the average Ravenna household earns $59,971 annually and would pay $149.93 more annually in taxes, or $2.88 per week. The tax would not apply to retirement income, but would apply to wages, overtime, bonuses, commissions, self-employment income and net business profits.
Ravenna voters approved a 0.25% income tax for roads in 2015 and an identical hike for safety forces the following year. Those decisions brought Ravenna’s income tax rate to 2.5%, which is the highest in Portage County, but not in the state, according to the Regional Income Tax Agency, also known as RITA.
The tax would be assessed to people who work in the city. Residents also would pay the tax if they work in Ravenna, or in a city whose income tax is lower than Ravenna’s.
Kent voters are being asked to change the purpose and term of a 0.25% tax previously approved to construct the city’s police station. The income tax now would be on the ballot for a continuing period of time.
Aurora voters are being asked to renew a 0.9-mill, five-year levy that generates $603,599 annually. Property owners would continue to pay $16 per year per $100,000 in property value.
Portage County Job and Family Services is again requesting a 0.4-mill, 5-year levy that would generate $2,451,896 annually. Property owners would pay $14 per year per $100,000 of property value. Voters turned down a levy to fund senior services in May.
The Portage County Mental Health and Recovery Board is seeking renewal of a 0.3-mill, 10-year levy that generates $1,157,027 annually. Property owners pay $6 per year per $100,000 of property valuation.
Voters in Paris Township will consider a petition to repeal zoning in the township. The township’s fire department also is asking the renewal of a 2-mill, five-year levy for fire and EMS. The levy would continue to generate $46,535 annually. Property owners would continue to pay $22 per year per $100,000 in property values.
Ravenna Township is asking for a 4.5-mill, 5-year additional levy for emergency medical services, which would genratea little over $1.04 million annually. Property owners would pay $158 per $100,000 of property value.
Brimfield is seeking an additional 1.95-mill, 5-year fire and EMS levy, which would generate $930,323 annually. Property owners would pay $68 per year per $100,000 in valuation.
Franklin Township is asking voters to renew a 2-mill, 5-year levy for roads and bridges that generates $177,418 annually. The levy currently costs homeowners $17 per year per $100,000 in property valuation.
Hiram voters are being asked to renew a 4.4-mill, five-year levy for current expenses that generates $38,938 annually. Property owners now pay $99 per year per $100,000 of property valuation.
Local races set up for fall
Local contests for state representative, county commissioner, common pleas court, juvenile and probate court and county auditor were set earlier in the year.
In the Ohio House 35th District, Republican Vik Sandhu will face Democrat Samantha Salamon for the open seat. The district includes parts of Geauga, Portage and Summit counties.
Steve Demetriou, who now represents the Ohio House 35th District, is running for Ohio Senate in the 27th District. His challenger is Mike Roberto, who previously was superintendent of the Aurora City School District.
In the race for Ohio House 72nd District, incumbent Republican Heidi Workman is facing a challenge from Jeff Clapper.
Portage County Commissioner Mike Tinlin, a Republican, is facing a challenge from Jenny Adams, a Democrat.
The others running for office – Portage County Auditor Matt Kelly; Portage County Common Pleas Judge Becky Doherty and Portage County Juvenile/Probate Judge Patricia Smith – are unopposed.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Portage voters to decide school taxes, municipal issues in November
