Full 2023 central Ohio primary election results

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The fates of several school districts’ construction plans and operating budgets were in the hands of voters Tuesday — with mixed results.

Property and income tax levies were on the ballot in 11 central Ohio school districts. Most districts seek levy renewals or substitutions for emergency levies passed to fund daily operations, renovations, staffing costs and new construction. Renewal levies and substitute levies that replace emergency levies at the same millage are not tax increases for residents.

Polls closed at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. As of 11:15 p.m., voters approved four levies and rejected four, with only Licking County having outstanding votes.

Property tax levies are measured in “mills,” or one-tenth of cent. One mill for a home with a taxable value of $200,000 is worth $200. Income tax levies are measured by percent.

Licking County

Granville Exempted Village School District: Renewal of a 5-year, 0.75% income tax that is set to expire at the end of 2023.

Heath City Schools: 14.5-mill substitute tax levy for operating costs, worth $4.6 million. According to the district’s website, the levy replaces two existing emergency levies that account for nearly a quarter of the district’s general fund for educational materials and operational costs like maintenance and utilities.

Johnstown-Monroe Local: Renewal of 5-year, 4.8-mill tax levy worth $2 million for emergency requirements and renewal of 5-year, 1% income tax for operating expenses. The levies currently contribute more than $7 million to the district’s general fund, according to the district’s website, amounting to 30% of annual operating costs.

Northridge Local: Renewal of 5-year, 5.5-mill tax levy worth $2.1 million.

Union County

By a margin of more than a thousand, voters in Marysville Exempted Village School District have rejected an 8.4-mill emergency levy to counteract a projected decline in operating revenue, worth $9.64 million.

Fairfield County

Voters in Walnut Township Local School District renewed a 10-year, 1.75% income tax for operating expenses, with 58.9% voting for the levy, according to unofficial election results.

Coshocton County

Coshocton City Schools’ request for a 4.813-mill substitute tax levy worth $900,000 has narrowly been approved, according to unofficial election results. By a margin of 17 votes, residents passed the continuation of an existing emergency levy.

Crawford County

With nearly 60% of votes, residents in Crestline Exempted Village School District approved a renewal of 5-year, 11.7-mill tax levy for operating costs, worth $759,000.

Hardin County

Nearly 70% of voters approved a renewal of a 3-year, 1% income tax in Riverdale Local School District, according to unofficial election results.

Madison County

Voters rejected a 37-year, $63 million bond for new construction in Madison-Plains Local School District, with 55.6% voting against the bond, according to unofficial election results.

Marion County

Both levies put on the ballot by River Valley Local Schools failed. A 25-year, 2.5-mill combination levy worth $21.1 million for construction, renovation and repairs and a renewal of 20-year, 1% income tax for operating expenses both failed to get 44% of the vote.