Pick. Board of Education Moves to Place Income Tax Initiative for May Ballot

First Operating Request in nearly 15 years to Support Growing District & Operations
January 20, 2025

Pickerington, OH – The Pickerington Local School District Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday night to move forward with a resolution of necessity to place a 1.25% traditional income tax initiative on the May 5, 2026 ballot.

If approved by voters, the proposed income tax initiative would generate approximately $32.8 million annually to support district operations. The request would be in addition to the District’s existing 1.0% income tax and would exclude Social Security income.

“New revenue is a necessity because we do not have the ability to cut our way out of this financial situation,” said Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer John Walsh. “Continued student growth requires either the repurposing of existing resources or additional revenue to maintain the same level of service. If we do not correct our financial condition, the Ohio Department of Education will increase its oversight and could ultimately assume greater control over our operations.”

The Board also directed the Treasurer to submit a resolution of certification to the Ohio Department of Taxation and the Fairfield County Auditor. Both certifications must receive majority approval before the issue can appear on the May ballot.

Pickerington has not placed an Operating Levy before voters since 2011 — nearly 15 years without requesting additional local operating revenue.

“This decision is about taking proactive steps to ensure long-term financial stability and maintaining the quality of education our community expects for its students,” said Board President Cathy Olshefski. “The reality is that the State of Ohio has steadily reduced its share of public education funding, shifting more of the burden onto local districts.”

According to district financial projections, Pickerington has experienced deficit spending since FY2022 and is projected to reach a negative cash balance by FY2028 without additional revenue.

Board Vice President Mark Hensen said rising enrollment, inflation, staffing costs, and growing student needs have placed increasing strain on the District’s finances.

“We’ve had no new operating levy in nearly 15 years,” Hensen said. “During that time, our enrollment has grown, our costs have increased, and our student needs have changed — but our local operating revenue has not. If we want to preserve programs, transportation, staffing, and reasonable class sizes, we need to act now.”

“This is an enormous ask of our community, and we know how difficult this is for many families,” said Board Member Brooke LaGrasso. “Families across Ohio are under real financial pressure right now, and public education should not be funded in a way that forces parents to choose between what they can afford and their child receiving more than a bare-minimum education. Our state needs to do better. But as a local Board, we have a responsibility to be honest about where we are and to protect the quality of education our students deserve.”

The proposed income tax structure was selected in part to minimize the impact on residents on fixed incomes. Both the current 1.0% income tax and the proposed 1.25% income tax exclude Social Security income.

In addition, approximately 3.1 mills in property taxes are expected to expire at the end of 2026, providing an estimated annual reduction of about $105 per $100,000 of home value for homeowners.

Superintendent Dr. Charles Smialek emphasized that even with the proposed income tax, Pickerington residents would continue to pay less in combined school taxes than many neighboring districts.

“We acknowledge how difficult it is to ask our residents for an increase in local revenue,” said Superintendent Dr. Charles Smialek. “But the future of Pickerington Local Schools as a destination district is on the line. We have not passed an increase in local operating support since 2011, yet our student population has grown by 17% during that time. We can either reduce staffing and offer fewer opportunities for students, or we can continue to provide high-quality programming that is a source of pride for our entire community. Even with this proposed income tax and the upcoming reduction in property taxes, Pickerington remains well behind many surrounding districts in overall tax burden. Pickerington continues to be a tremendous value for families who live, work, and send their children to school here.”

The District will provide additional public information in the coming months, including financial projections, tax impact examples, and details on how new revenue would be used.

For more information on the upcoming income tax ballot initiative, please visit  PLSD’s website, where updates will be posted as they become available, or contact the District’s Public Relations Office.