Officials Declare Victory On Income Tax; District Concedes Issue 2
Unofficial results show that voters approve an income tax hike, while a much-debated operating levy for South-Western City Schools is rejected.
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Unofficial results show that voters approve an income tax hike, while a much-debated operating levy for South-Western City Schools is rejected.
RESULTS: Complete Election Results
YOUR THOUGHTS: Columbus Income Tax Increase
YOUR THOUGHTS: South-Western City Schools Operating Levy
The City of Columbus said it is facing a budget gap of $115 million. Unofficial results from the Franklin County Board of Elections indicated that voters approved the half-percent income tax, raising the rate from 2 percent to 2.5 percent. Fire officials told NBC 4 that Issue 1 passed.
According to the results, there were 45,970 votes (51 percent) in favor of the issue and 42,943 votes (48 percent) against.
Under the income tax increase, Columbus workers would pay $50 more for every $10,000 they make. The increase goes into effect Oct. 1.
If the increase had failed, city officials said several city services would have been eliminated and hundreds of firefighters and police officers would have been laid off.
After failing at the polls in May, South-Western City Schools attempted to pass its operating levy again.
The levy failed with 16,055 votes (51 percent) against the issue and 15,344 votes (49 percent) in favor—with 102 of 105 precincts reporting.
NBC 4‘s Candice Lee reported that shortly after 9 p.m., South-Western City School officials conceded Issue 2.
District officials said that if the levy failed, students would lose all sports, bussing, programs and jobs would be lost.
The proposed 8.3-mill operating levy would have lasted four years and homeowners would have paid an extra $254 in property taxes each year for every $100,000 of property value.
The levy would have raised $21 million for the area’s second-largest school district.
Opponents of the levy in Grove City said they couldn’t afford to pay more taxes. Some said they wanted parents to pick up a larger portion of the expenses for student activities.
But supporters said the community needed to get behind its kids.
For additional information, stay with nbc4i.com and NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com—Where Accuracy Matters.
To submit a story idea or news tip, e-mail us at
.
NBC 4 POLITICS: Headlines, Interactives & Video
MORE: NBC 4 Local News | Local Crime News
NBC 4 SPORTS: Sports News, Video
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
You guys just don’t get it and you never did. The school board is NOT going to change their mind. It’s over and done with also whats appealing about a community that no longer has: sports, band, AP classes, kids no longer have buses so they have to walk 2 miles everyday?
To Freewill — I KNOW this is God’s plan. He allows things to happen. The outcome did not take Him by surprise. Now we get to see the consequences of the NO vote. I have a feeling it will not be pretty.
I tell kids NO all the time. It’s easy. They’re not as cute as they use to be. ;)
Oh lovely, I get to pay more money to a city that seems to forget my neighborhood. Fire/EMS? New Albany dispatched on 911 calls. Police? unless there’s a ticket (e.g.“revenue enhancement”) involved, never seem to see them. Road Care/Plowing HA! IF my neighborhood sees a snowplow, it’s one swipe on one road, piling it onto the intersection of the others and we’re on our own…repairs? Now I’m realy laughing. In the mean time, we have lighted arches? Oooooo! (sarcasm intended)A river shelter? Gee, be right there.
Mayor Coleman, can I assume all this will change now that you have your 0.5%? I won’t hold my breath.
One more reason to start looking at homes in other cities.
It’s amazing what people will say behind a computer screen. I bet 90% of you wouldn’t say no to a kids face.
Now! we need to work on stopping that nonsense of canceling the extracurricular activities. Most of those things do not cost the school district a penny. That balogna is nothing but a bunch of spoiled little boys revenge because they didn’t get their way. You people want to stand up for the kids, then do it! and stop crying about money. Use your common sense. The way I see it, this move made this community look more appealing because it showed some backbone! Money doesn’t solve all problems.
I cant believe after all the no voters that I was hearing that this issue is passing. But whats really pathetic is the fact that only there was 20% voter turn out. Well six to eight months from now when we start tearing down city center, running a train through downtown Columbus and they say there out of money again. You yes people have nobody to blame but yourselves. Of course I would like to know how many welfare free loaders went out and voted, the people that don’t pay income tax.
Hallsangels…...
“Your hands are closed so tightly that God couldn’t bless you if He wanted to.“
Maybe, just maybe, this IS his plan!
hallsangels. We live in a democracy and the people have spoken. We do pay property taxes…high ones too. Why don’t you corral all 15000 of your whining “yes voters” and each of you cough up $500 a year.(thats what i would be paying if it passed) If you do the math, that would be 4.5 million a year. Hmmmm. problem solved. You’ve got your sports, band and everything back. Oh, and you can watch the district piss away the money like they have done in the past. That is why it doesn’t pass. Not because people don’t want to help, but because they have in the past and the district squanders it.
I am embarrassed to say I am from Grove City. We have always been laughed at by the other suburbs “Grovetucky” and that comment is an insult to people from Kentucky. They have more intelligence and support their schools. You reap what you sow. If you sow sparingly, you will reap sparingly, if you sow abundantly, you will reap abundantly. Your hands are closed so tightly that God couldn’t bless you if He wanted to. sad sad sad
Advertisement