With Election Day approaching, we want to thank our community for its continued interest in and support of Waverly City Schools.
We recently learned that the school district income tax levy appearing on the November 3 ballot does not match the proposal approved by the Waverly City School District Board of Education and the Ohio Department of Taxation, and as submitted to the Board of Elections. The Board proposed and submitted a five-year, 0.5% income tax. However, the ballot incorrectly identifies the proposal as an earned income tax. This distinction is important because an earned income tax applies to a smaller range of income and would generate less revenue than the tax originally proposed.
Over the past year, our district has faced significant financial challenges due to reduced funding and rising expenses. We have made more than $1.6 million in budget cuts, and the levy was proposed to prevent further cuts. While this five-year, 0.5% earned income tax levy on the November 3 ballot will not completely cover the needs, it will still help.
We are also encouraged by the economic development taking place in our community and hopeful about the opportunities it may bring. However, no additional funding for our schools has been confirmed at this time. We will continue to make responsible financial decisions based on the information available to us and keep our community informed as circumstances change.
Whatever the coming months may bring, we remain committed to providing a quality education for the children of our community. Please contact us with any questions you may have. We encourage all residents to learn about the issues on the ballot and participate in the November 3 election.
Waverly City Schools Board of Education