Because Ohio school districts don’t receive inflationary increases, Amherst Schools has stretched its budget and found efficiencies for 13 years as costs for staffing, transportation, and special education have all increased dramatically. Despite those increased costs, the district has maintained a community where students are educated, empowered, and equipped with the skills needed for college and/or careers. They have access to unique, innovative courses and programs like Robotics and Automation, Business and Entrepreneurship, Med Tech, Steele News Live, and Navy National Defense Cadet Corps that enrich them and focus on much-needed professions.
Now, our schools need our votes FOR Issue 16 to protect our investment in public education and prevent millions in cuts each year to the programs and incredible teachers that comprise the high-quality education Amherst families expect.
ABOUT THE DISTRICT
The Amherst Schools offer extraordinary value to taxpayers, offering students robust curriculum and programs despite receiving the second-lowest total revenue per pupil of ALL Ohio school districts.
The district responsibly manages public funding, as evidenced by its Aa2 credit rating from Moody’s and several clean audits from the state over the past decade. The district’s purchased services, like technology and insurance, have tripled since 2020, and state aid to Amherst has steadily declined since 2010. Still, the district has strategically invested in students and families by adding counselors, social workers, and other needs across the district.​
In addition to top-notch instruction, Amherst goes the extra mile by providing wraparound services like wellness counseling, vision and hearing screenings, and free and reduced meals. Now, we must come together to vote for Issue 16 to maintain what we have.​
Rising costs in the face of decreased support from our governments and static revenue is not a sustainable outlook for our district. Without Issue 16, our schools face millions in cuts to programs and teachers that would devastate Amherst students and families and disrupt education in our community.
ABOUT ISSUE 16
Issue 16 is an operating levy in the form of a school district income tax (SDIT). It would be levied at 1.5% of the income of district residents. Businesses do not pay the SDIT. Levy proceeds do not depend on property values. Instead, they rise or decrease as residents’ incomes do. Non-residents of the school district are not subject to the tax, even if they work within the district’s boundaries
Additionally, the tax exempts retirement income, pensions, social security, and investment income. This protects Amherst residents who are on fixed incomes. An SDIT diversifies a district’s revenue sources, reducing total dependence on volatile property values or housing development patterns.
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Visit the district’s website to learn more about SDITs and the district’s revenues and expenditures.
