ORANGE TOWNSHIP — Mapleton district officials are hoping there’s credence to the phrase “the third time’s a charm.”
The Mapleton board of education voted unanimously Friday to place an income tax levy on the November ballot, marking the district’s third attempt to get voters on board with the new tax.
The district attempted to pass a five-year 0.75% income tax levy in the last two election seasons. It most recently failed by 16 percentage points.
Mapleton tried to pass a five-year 3.2 mills property tax levy last May. It would have generated $500,000 annually, but it failed by 32 percentage points, according to Ashland County Board of Election records.
School board members Shawn Grundy and Shana Benner expressed reluctance to place the income tax levy on the November ballot earlier in the month.
However, Grundy said Friday he changed his mind.
“I just thought it was an opportunity for the people of the district to change their mind — that’s my justification for it,” he said.
Benner said raising fees, such as athletic pay-to-play fees, eased her mind about trying for an income tax levy passage again.
“It couldn’t just be we continue to fail levies and not do anything about it,” she said.
The income tax levy is expected to generate $1,047,818 annually over five years. Those that make $50,000 a year will be taxed $31.25 a month should the income levy pass.
Income from retirement, social security, pensions, interest and dividends and other related income cannot be taxed with the income levy.
As of January 2023, 210 out of 611 school districts across Ohio impose an income tax, according to the state Department of Taxation.
Without the extra money, district officials have forecasted deficits in future budgets. Superintendent Scott Smith said a deficit of $44,333 could occur this year without the levy. The gap grows to $159,646 in 2024, $294,000 in 2025 and nearly $484,000 in 2026.
If voters approve, it will be the first levy passed in 32 years.
