Pickerington Online welcomes readers to submit Letters to the Editor. The opinions expressed in these letters are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor or staff. Letters emailed to editor@pickeringtononline.com will be posted on both the organization’s website and social media within a few days of receipt, unless the contributor specifies a preferred publication time.

April 21, 2026

To the Editor:

Pickerington Local School District has an important income tax levy on the ballot on May 5. There has been an encouraging amount of support for this operating levy, but, as usual, there is also a very vocal group opposing the tax increase. I understand. Nobody wants to pay more taxes than needed. 

However, I can tell you as a Pickerington graduate, resident, and veteran teacher at PHSC, Pickerington schools and its students need the money. 

We have not had a ballot for operating funds since 2011. That is unheard of. 

As someone with firsthand knowledge, I can say that we have worked tirelessly to keep our level of instruction, facilities, and opportunities for students high on less and less money each year. It is at the point that we cannot trim anything else from our budget. 

Programs, classes, and teachers will have to be cut if this levy does not pass. 

As a high school teacher, I will be heartbroken to see students who have worked hard for so long no longer have AP and CCP classes available to them, no longer have field trips, and have fewer electives to take and sports teams to participate in. 

The cuts our schools will endure will impact the students long after the levy passes, we won’t bounce back right away. It will take years to recover. 

The reality is that eventually the levy will pass, but when it does, it will have to be at a rate that is higher than the 1.25% income tax the district is asking for on May 5. The smart vote is to vote yes the first time. 

I am proud to be a part of our district. We work hard for our students and, in return, our students work hard every day. 

A “yes” vote on this issue is a yes for every student walking through our doors. It is an acknowledgement of all the hard work that goes into educating our kids every day. I hope that on May 6th I can be proud to be a part of a community that has shown up and supported its students and teachers. 

Pickerington can continue to be a place people move to because they know their kids will get a quality education–if we vote “yes” on May 5!  

Sincerely,
Christina Rice 
Pickerington teacher & resident