LEXINGTON — Residents of the Lexington Local School District voted down a proposed income tax, according to final, unofficial vote totals from the Richland County Boards of Elections and Morrow County Board of Elections.
More than 73 percent of electors voted against the measure.
District officials said the traditional, 1.5-percent income tax would have generated just over $9 million in annual operating revenue.
Operating funds are restricted and can only be used for day-to-day expenses like payroll and benefits, academic programming, student transportation, utilities and building operations, technology and instructional materials and required student services like special education.
School board President Keith Stoner said he was disappointed by the results.
“We worked very hard to determine the best plan of action in response to the current changes being thrust upon K-12 education in Ohio,” Stoner said.
Stoner said he was grateful to members of the levy committee for coming together and sharing facts with the community.
“It’s a very different idea and we worked hard to remain consistent in our messaging during the campaign,” Stoner said. “We will regroup and determine our next steps for Lexington schools.”
“At the same time, we’re committed to persevering and we have an extraordinary faculty, staff and administration who will show up tomorrow and provide the exceptional service our students deserve and our community expects,” he added.
Officials have said revenue from the levy is needed due to rising costs, increased student needs and recent funding decisions by state and local lawmakers.
School officials across Ohio have said the most recent state budget, approved by lawmakers earlier this year, did not take into account the rising costs of educating students — resulting in a funding cut of nearly $2 million annually for the district.
Lexington is projected to run out of operating funds in 2028
Lexington is one of several area school districts that has re-examined its local revenue strategy in light of property tax reform efforts at the state level.
Lexington Local Schools has operated in deficit spending since the 2022-2023 school year. The district is projected to end the current school year with expenses exceeding revenues by $2,472,644, according to a five-year forecast conducted in February.
If the district does not succeed in passing new or replacement levies, Lexington is projected to run out of operating funds before the end of the 2027-2028 school year.
The Lexington school board voted earlier this month to eliminate 24 jobs, mostly through attrition and retirement, for the 2026-2027 school year.
The list included 12 teachers, six administrative staff members and six classified staff, Supt. Jeremy Secrist said.
According to Secrist, deeper cuts will now be necessary to keep the district afloat.
“There’ll be changes to fee structures for sure,” Secrist said previously. “Then we’re going to have to go back to the drawing board and figure out what type of programming we have to cut, how deep we have to go with the personnel cuts in this next round, because we won’t have enough money to operate.”
Secrist did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday night.
