“This levy is essential to maintain the quality of education and services we provide to our students,” said Superintendent Chad Lensman. “The levy would provide critical funding for academic programming, staffing, facilities, and daily operations.”
An earned income tax applies almost exclusively to wages/salary, tips and self-employment income. Among the items not taxed are retirement income, social security, workers’ compensation and unemployment benefits, interest, dividends or capital gains, among others.
If the levy passes, Lensman said Graham schools will be able to stabilize their budget, protect class sizes, maintain educational programs, preserve extracurricular opportunities and support, and avoid further cuts to staffing and services.
The district has a spending plan if the levy passes that includes the addition of six teaching positions, the ability to attract and retain quality staff, an additional school resource officer, safety upgrades, curriculum and technology upgrades, the removal of pay-to-participate fees, reduced student fees, reinstatement of field trips, facility maintenance, and support for facilities.
“It will give the district the ability to plan with more certainty and maintain the quality of education our community expects,” he said.
According to the district’s five-year financial forecast, Graham spends about $20 million per school year, and has just missed breaking even each of the past three years (an average deficit of about $235,000 per year, or just over 1% in the red).
Graham began this school year with $7.1 million in the bank, or 35% of a year’s spending, according to the forecast document — slightly less than the average Miami Valley school district, but within the normal range.
Some of the district’s financial future will depend on state funding in the next two-year budget, which will be decided by the Ohio legislature in the next two months.
Gretchen Myers, who has children in the district, is voting in support of the levy and because the money will stay in the district and help the community directly. She said she’s voting yes to help attract and keep the teachers who want to be there, to not let programs and teachers slip away, and to keep the buildings functional and good shape.
“I’ve read about the over $1 million cuts from last year. I know these changes affect the kids — my daughter’s gifted small group was one of them," Myers said. “But I’ve also seen the great things happening at the high school and elementary levels. There’s so much good here, and I want to keep it going,” she said.
Melanie Boling, who is also voting for the levy, said part of the reason she and her husband moved here was because of the quality of education in a rural district.
“This levy needs to be seen as an investment in the community, not as a punishment. Everybody likes musicals, sporting events, and parades which students participate in but there are so many that don’t support what it takes to get to that success,” Boling said.
“With the staff leaving voluntarily and cuts which have taken place, our students are not getting the options in education that students had 10 years ago. Why do these students deserve less than the opportunities that their parents and grandparents had?”
Chuck Werner, who is voting against the levy, said, “we are already taxed way too much property taxes ... There is no way I’m voting for this and neither should anyone else who pays taxes; it never ends.”
This levy was rejected in the November 2024 election, with 63% of voters opposing the tax levy, and 37% supporting it.
The district originally tried passing a 1% traditional income tax levy in March 2024 to support current district operations and facility maintenance, but that levy failed, with 67.55% against it and 32.45% for it.
District officials then cut over $1.3 million going into the 2024-25 school year, as well as 14 certified (teaching) positions.
District officials said they first cut $600,000 including a reduction in teaching, guidance and classified staff; reduced school psychologist support, fewer technology supplies; and contract services through the Educational Service Center. After the March 2024 levy failed, they made $400,000 of additional cuts including field trips, additional teaching positions, supplemental contracts, mileage and professional development.
As a result of those cuts, Lensman said the district has reduced the immediate need for more cuts for the 2025-26 school year, but they will continue to analyze cost-saving measures across the district and staffing.
“Graham is flat-funded by the State of Ohio and will not receive additional operating dollars from the state. The district will have to continue working to secure additional local operating dollars in the future or face making further cuts, which will be difficult given that the district is already running lean,” he said.
Graham officials said the district has not passed a new tax levy earmarked for day-to-day school operations since 1992.
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