AKRON, Ohio-The Akron Public Schools board unanimously voted to place a tax increase on the November ballot to fund operating expenses and the construction of a new North High School. The proposed tax increase amounts to $312 annually per $100,000 of home value, with $266 allocated for operating expenses and $46 for bond payments over 35 years. The ballot issue combines a 7.6-mill operating levy and a 1.3-mill, 35-year bond issue.
The decision follows recent job cuts and cost-saving measures, including the elimination of 285 positions, due to factors like declining enrollment and reduced state revenue. While overall enrollment is decreasing, North High School’s student population is rising, necessitating the construction of a new facility to replace the overcrowded and deteriorating existing building. Rising property values do not result in additional revenue for the district due to a 1970s Ohio law that freezes tax rates.
