Columbus City Schools averts financial crisis with passage of nearly $100M annual levy

Columbus City Schools got its Election Day wish from voters: approval of 7.7 mills in property taxes that are expected to generate nearly $100 million annually and avert a financial crisis that threatened hundreds of jobs in the state's largest district.

With all precincts reporting, Franklin County voters approved the levy 55% to 45%, according to unofficial results Tuesday night.

Also Tuesday, voters elected all four ballot candidates — incumbents Jennifer Adair and Tina Pierce and newcomers Sarah Ingles and Brandon Simmons — to the Columbus City Schools Board of Education.

Here are results from all elections in Franklin County

Adair, president of the CCS Board of Education, said Tuesday evening that she and the other board members were "ecstatic" about the results.

"This is just the foundation of the incredible hard work that is to come," Adair said.

District said it would face extreme challenges if vote failed

Columbus City Schools financial experts have warned that the district was expected to face financial headwinds if the levy vote failed.

Treasurer Jennifer Vanover said in September the district anticipated a negative cash balance of $67 million with current expenses by the 2027 fiscal year. That's due in part because nearly half a billion dollars in federal pandemic funding will expire in September.

District officials warned in September that if the levy failed, hundreds of positions including custodians, counselors and others would be immediately cut in a cost-saving move in addition to district programs.

Superintendent Angela Chapman said that the passage of the levy will enable her to address internal and external issues in the district.

"We recognize that there's work to be done but we're also energized by the passage of (the levy) tonight, because we know we have the support that's needed to make the necessary investments," Chapman said.

Levy campaign faced heavy opposition

The Columbus City school board saw a number of community figures and leaders come out in opposition to the levy, most prominently Columbus NAACP President Nana Watson. She has consistently called on Columbus voters to reject the proposal, citing skyrocketing property values and a lack of transparency from the school board.

Additionally, both a coalition of Black religious leaders and the Equity Now Coalition, representing more than 75 Black leaders in Columbus, have said they would not be supporting the levy. Equity Now was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic by Columbus Urban League President and CEO Stephanie Hightower and then-Columbus YWCA President and CEO Christie Angel.

Watson said Tuesday that the Columbus NAACP was profoundly disappointed with the election results, saying that the decision will "impose a burdensome tax on homeowners, including our most vulnerable population, senior citizens."

"Despite our disappointment, the NAACP remains committed to working with Columbus City Schools and the community to find equitable solutions that prioritize the well-being of our citizens and improve the quality of education for our youth," Watson said in a statement provided to The Dispatch.

Adair said Tuesday after it appeared the levy had passed that Columbus City Schools will continue to need the organization's advocacy.

"We need all hands on deck to ensure that all of our students have what they need," Adair said.

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus City Schools' nearly $100M annual levy passes