Sylvania City Schools seeks 1% earned-income levy, pairs it with property-tax cut

Melissa McDonald, assistant superintendent of Sylvania City Schools, told council the district will ask voters to approve a 1% earned-income tax with a concurrent 1.7-mil property-tax reduction on the November ballot. McDonald said the package reduces the district’s overall ask by about $250,000 compared with a prior ballot measure in May and stressed that the earned-income levy applies to W-2 wages and net self-employment only.

Board member Mr. Bowden and district staff warned that failure to secure new operating revenue would require program reductions that could take the district back to state minimums for services such as full-day kindergarten, transportation and extracurricular offerings. McDonald and Bowden emphasized relief for seniors and retirement-income recipients: "This does not tax people on Social Security," McDonald said. The district asked council members to endorse and answer constituent questions; a public commenter later urged voters to support Issue 7 to protect programs and scholarships.