Tallmadge board votes to proceed with 5.6‑mill property levy after public debate over earned‑income alternative

The Tallmadge Board of Education voted 4–1 on Jan. 28 to proceed with a 5.6‑mill property‑tax levy to place before voters, after public comment and an extended board roundtable over whether to pursue a property levy or a 0.75% school‑district earned‑income tax.

The vote followed nearly an hour of public comment and technical questions. Mayor Carol Ceciliano Kilway, who identified herself as the current mayor of Tallmadge, urged the board to weigh citywide impacts, noting municipal income‑tax rates and warning that an additional earned‑income levy could raise combined rates for residents who also work in nearby Akron. “We have a huge decision to make here,” Kilway said, urging sensitivity to how changes would affect both the schools and city services. Resident speakers were mixed: some said a property levy would never pass in May, while others said property tax was the fairest option.

Why it matters: The district is seeking new revenue after state funding…