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Pickerington Local board votes to place 1.25% income tax levy on May ballot
Summary
The Pickerington Local Board of Education voted Feb. 2 to file a resolution to place a 1.25% district income tax on the May ballot — an amount the board estimated at roughly $32.8 million annually — and directed staff to begin public outreach and the county filing process.
The Pickerington Local Board of Education voted Feb. 2 to send a resolution to the Fairfield County Board of Elections to place a 1.25% district income tax on the May ballot. President Kathy Olszewski said the filing must occur in early February and that the board would proceed tonight to avoid risking the filing deadline.
Board members said the levy is aimed chiefly at stabilizing staffing and operations amid constraints from state law. One board member summed up concerns expressed on social media and in public correspondence, saying, “They think that all the new home building and extra property taxes give us all the dollars we need,” and citing house bill limitations on property tax revenue as part of the district’s rationale. Superintendent Dr. Smialek and Treasurer Walsh explained that even if a levy is approved in May, full fiscal recognition of new income‑tax revenue would not occur until FY 2028.
Trustee Robert Holstein, a parent and board member, described possible cuts the district has considered if additional funding is not secured — items ranging from reduced high‑school busing and increased pay‑to‑play fees to eliminating some electives — and said, “I do believe our district needs additional funding, and I promised our community that I would vote to put something on the ballot to address this.”
The motion to file the resolution was moved and seconded, and the board conducted a roll call vote. All members present voted yes; the transcript records affirmative votes from Henson, Newman, Olszewski, LaGrasso and Holstein. The board previously noted that four affirmative votes are required to place the question on the ballot; with the votes cast tonight the district will move forward with the county filing.
Board members emphasized outreach and transparency in the coming months, promising more public information and town halls so residents can evaluate the proposal before the election. The resolution to proceed is a procedural step that places the question before voters; the final decision on whether to approve the levy will rest with the electorate.
Next steps: district staff will file the resolution with the county elections office and continue public outreach, including town halls and informational posts, ahead of the May election.
