Homeowners in Montgomery, Blue Ash and parts of Sycamore Township will see a 6.95-mill property tax levy for Sycamore Community Schools on their ballots Tuesday, November 3.
The Hamilton County Board of Elections certified the measure in its 100-Day Notice issued Tuesday, July 21. If approved, the additional levy would cost roughly $243 per year for every $100,000 of a home's market value, based on Ohio's standard mill-rate formula. For a $300,000 home, that works out to about $730 a year.
The tax is permanent and would generate new revenue on top of existing school taxes. It is structured as 5.0 mills for day-to-day operations and 1.95 mills for permanent improvements such as roofing and mechanical systems.
Why the district says it needs the money
The district's operations director told the board at a May work session that consultant estimates show $28.29 million in facility and mechanical needs over the next five years. Sycamore allocates $4.1 million annually from its general fund for capital projects, including a $2.23 million roofing program underway this year.
"When you look at that from a funding standpoint … if you take 4.1 and multiply it across five years, there's a shortfall there," operations director Zimmerly said at the May 13 meeting, where the board voted 5-0 to adopt the resolution of necessity that launched the levy process.
The board then approved a resolution to proceed at its Wednesday, June 10, work session, formally certifying the measure for the November ballot.
Who votes
The 100-Day Notice lists all Montgomery precincts (A through I) and all Blue Ash precincts. Only four Sycamore Township precincts (D-1, E-1, J, and M-1) are included because most of the township falls within the Deer Park school district. Parts of Symmes Township, Loveland and Evendale also vote on the measure.
District snapshot
Sycamore Community Schools serves about 5,913 students across seven schools, led by Superintendent Chad A. Lewis. The district earned a 4.5-star overall rating on the 2024-25 Ohio Report Card, with a 97.2% four-year graduation rate. As of 2023, its school property tax rate of 34.51 mills ranked fifth lowest among 25 Hamilton County and neighboring districts, according to the district's finance page.
Board President Victor Harris and members Dr. Adrienne C. James, Paul Balent, Sara Bitter, and Will Gosnell all supported the levy through the resolution process.
Key dates for voters
- Monday, October 5 — Voter registration deadline (by mail, in person, or online)
- Tuesday, October 27 — Last day to request an absentee ballot
- Tuesday, November 3 — Election Day; absentee ballots must arrive by 7:30 p.m.
