CLEVELAND, Ohio-The Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) is asking voters to approve two tax questions on the ballot to address a funding gap exacerbated by the depletion of one-time federal COVID-19 funds. The district has seen a dramatic decline in student enrollment, from 148,000 in 1963 to about 34,598 last year, due to factors like desegregation and the rise of charter schools. This decline has impacted state educational aid, which is also decreasing, while local property taxes remain stagnant. CMSD is seeking an 11.25 mill levy consisting of an 8.6-mill operating levy expected to generate $52 million over ten years and a 2.65-mill bond issue to raise about $295 million for capital projects. If approved, this would cost a typical homeowner around $254 annually.
