Here's a guide that covers the proposed tax levy and bond issuance for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD), and the potential impact on schools and property taxes. This blog post provides voters with an overview of the levy, background information surrounding the CMSD Tax Levy, and a discussion of what voting yes and no would entail.
This November, all Clevelanders will see the CMSD Tax Levy appear on their ballots. This $8.6 million levy proposes an increased annual property tax of about $300 per $100,000 of property value. Voters will also be asked to decide whether the district should seek the issuance of $295 million in bonds for school facility maintenance. This levy comes just four years after the district’s last levy, Issue 68, which funded CMSD at a rate of $2,000 per $100,000 of assessed property value.
As federal pandemic relief funding comes to an end for schools across the nation, CMSD proposes a levy to fund the district. This 2024 levy is the fourth proposed CMSD levy over the past twelve years—with previous levies passed in 2012, 2016, and 2020.
Over the past few years, the district was kept financially afloat by $465 million of pandemic relief funding, but the end of this funding means CMSD needs a new revenue source or else they risk having a $110 million budget deficit in 2027.
In hopes of resolving part of this deficit, Warren Morgan, CEO of CMSD, proposed a phased deficit reduction plan which passed in February 2024 with a 7-1 vote by the Cleveland Board of Education. The first phase of this plan includes central office staffing cuts, reduced summer and after-school programming, and more. Without this plan, the district faced a $143 million deficit for the upcoming school year. However, with this plan, the district only saves $91.4 million which does not resolve the looming deficit.
The 2024 CMSD Tax Levy includes an increased annual property tax of about $300 per $100,000 of property value. This levy will last ten years and is expected to generate $52 million per year in revenue for the district. The Cleveland Board of Education plans to use this money to improve academic programs, improve CMSD school equity, and ensure security and career readiness. It is estimated that the levy would cost the median Cleveland property owner $4.62 per week.
Additionally, if passed, the levy would allow the district to seek the issuance of $295 million in bonds for constructing new school buildings and improving/upgrading existing school buildings. This bond would not impact Cleveland property owners but would, instead, be paid annually by the district for a maximum of thirty-five years. This bond is needed as the district’s current bonds are set to expire this year.
Aside from the 2024 CMSD Tax Levy, Morgan plans to assess CMSD finances and operations to create a more financially sustainable plan moving forward. He also plans to continue the phased reduction plan into future school years while ensuring cuts don't go to specific CMSD schools and educator salaries.
VOTING YES
Voting YES means you support increasing the CMSD Tax by $300 per $100,000 of property value to fund CMSD, and you support the district seeking the issuance of $295 million in bonds for school facility maintenance.
Morgan says, "support for this levy means a direct investment in...the future of Cleveland. We've strategically contained costs to minimize the impact on our residents, making this a responsible and crucial step forward"
VOTING NO
Voting NO means you are against increasing the CMSD Tax by $300 per $100,000 of property value to fund CMSD, and you are against the district seeking the issuance of $295 million in bonds for school facility maintenance. Morgan’s phased reduction plan is left as the core mechanism to reduce the budget deficit. Fiscal year 2025 expenses decreased from the November 2023 projection of $806.2 million to a current projection of $724.8 million as a result of Phase 1 of cuts.
As you become acquainted with the issues on the ballot this November, remember to understand the context of each issue, both your options, and the effects of each option.
For more information, please consult the following resources:
"CMSD school board votes to put a levy on the ballot in November"
"Cleveland Metropolitan School District seeks to place new funding measure on November ballot"
"Cleveland schools seek property tax increase this November"
"Cleveland Metropolitan School District facing $143.3m deficit, CEO says"
Mayor Bibb told Signal Cleveland, “...this is an investment we desperately need for Cleveland’s children. This is about public safety. This is about jobs. This is about opportunity. This is about the viability of our city long-term.”
No opposition has emerged at the time of this post
Learn about opposition to the 2020 CMSD Levy