Wickliffe school board urges voters to back 1% earned-income levy to replace failed property tax measure

Dan Tomeyer, president of the Wickliffe City School District Board of Education, told the Wickliffe City Council on Sept. 22 that the district plans to ask voters in November to approve a 1% earned-income tax after a property-tax levy failed in May and compensating state funding changes reduced the district's revenue.

Tomeyer said the board voted in early August to place the earned-income tax on the ballot. "The earned income tax that we're asking for is 1%. It will raise approximately the same amount that the property tax would have raised which is approximately $3,000,000," he said.

Katie Ball, vice president of the school board, outlined program cuts already made and warned of deeper reductions if the levy fails. "These cuts have already substantially impacted the educational programs and school experiences," she said, then listed examples the district has eliminated or reduced, including three teaching positions, two bus routes and other administrative roles.

Why it matters: Tomeyer and Ball framed the levy as a measure to stabilize operations and avoid what they described as ``catastrophic cuts'' to curriculum, extracurriculars and transportation. The school leaders said the earned-income tax applies only to wages and net self-employment income of residents living inside the Wickliffe City School District; people who work in the city but live elsewhere would not pay the tax.

Details from the presentation and board comments

- Tax type and scope: The proposed tax is an earned-income tax limited to wages and self-employment income, not including Social Security, retirement distributions, interest and dividends or capital gains, according to Tomeyer. - Revenue estimate: The board estimates the 1% levy would raise about $3 million, roughly matching the revenue the failed May property levy would have provided. - Recent cuts: Ball said the district has already cut roughly $500,000 in recent years and another $500,000 since the May levy defeat, including elimination of two bus routes (which she said saved about $200,000), three teacher positions and several administrative roles. - Timing and state context: Tomeyer said delays in rollout were partly to allow staff to prepare a five-year forecast required by the district treasurer and to incorporate recently finalized state budget figures that he said resulted in a net funding loss for the district over the next two years.

Public outreach and next steps

Tomeyer said the board is preparing materials to explain the levy and that the district will continue outreach to correct what he called misconceptions circulating on social media. Ball asked city leadership to publicly support the district's effort and to help communicate the levy's local impacts.

No formal city action was taken on the levy during the Sept. 22 meeting; school officials presented information during the council's public-comment period and provided handouts to city leaders.

Tomeyer and Ball are scheduled to continue outreach ahead of the November ballot if the board proceeds with the placement of the levy.