Sycamore Community Schools homeowners would pay $243 more per year for every $100,000 of appraised property value under a levy on the Tuesday, Nov. 3 ballot.

The combined 6.95-mill property tax proposal is the district's first request for new operating money since November 2016, Fox 19 reported. If approved, the levy would generate $17,993,971 annually, according to the Hamilton County auditor's estimate in the official ballot language.

The levy has two parts: 5 mills for operating expenses and 1.95 mills for permanent improvements. It would run as a continuing levy, commencing in 2026 with the first collection due in calendar year 2027.

Why the district says it needs the money

The district stretched its 2016 operating levy funds far longer than planned. Fox 19 reported that district leaders said the COVID-19 pandemic allowed them to make those funds last twice as long as anticipated. During that period, officials did not ask taxpayers for additional operating money.

That runway is ending. About 85% of Sycamore's funding comes from local property tax millage, WVXU reported. Without a new levy, the district's administration expects to reach a negative cash balance by fiscal year 2029, according to WVXU.

What the ballot language shows

The auditor-certified ballot language includes a required disclosure: the district's carry-over balance from the preceding fiscal year exceeds its general fund expenditures by $30,498,210. That figure represents 28% of those expenditures. The district has not publicly explained in available records how that balance fits with the need for new revenue.

Who votes

The levy appears on ballots across the district's footprint, which spans precincts in Blue Ash, Montgomery, Sycamore Township, Symmes Township, the Village of Evendale and parts of Loveland, according to the Hamilton County Board of Elections' 100-day notice.

The Sycamore Board of Education approved placing the levy on the ballot. The district has published a FAQ page with additional details on its website.

Early voting is underway in Ohio. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.