With the midterm election less than a week away, Ohio voters are set to decide on bond measures, tax levies, charter amendments, bail considerations, and who is allowed to vote in local Ohio elections across the state.
The list below contains an overview of the state and city-wide ballot measures in Ohio.
Two legislatively referred constitutional amendments were certified for the November 8 ballot. All Ohio ballots will have Issue 1 and Issue 2 on their ballot.
Issue 1: would require Ohio judges to “use factors such as public safety, including the seriousness of the offense, and a person’s criminal record” when setting amounts and conditions of bail.
Issue 2: would prohibit local governments from allowing noncitizens or those who lack the qualifications of an elector to vote in local elections.
Columbus residents have the opportunity to approve five bond issues that will allow the city to invest $1.5 billion in neighborhood infrastructure and services to improve our quality of life. The issues will not increase property taxes or impose any new tax, according to the City of Columbus.
Issue 14: Health, Safety & Infrastructure – $300,000,000 will be used for police and fire facility improvements, fire apparatus replacements, police substations, and fire stations.
Issue 15: Recreation and Parks – $200,000,000 will be used for recreation centers, facility upgrades, park and playground development, bikeways, and other improvements.
Issue 16: Neighborhood Development – $200,000,000 will be used for affordable housing and other neighborhood investments.
Issue 17: Public Service – $250,000,000 will be used for pedestrian safety and sidewalk improvements, street/alley resurfacing, bridge rehabilitation, and other neighborhood improvements.
Issue 18: Public Utilities – $550,000,000 will be used for water system upgrades, sanitary and storm systems, and power and street lighting systems.
Columbus residents will also have the opportunity to approve three Charter Amendments.
Issue 19: The Initiative Process Measure will prevent special interest groups from placing an issue on the ballot without disclosing who will benefit financially and how much money they will receive within the first three years if the issue were to be approved.
Issue 20: The Civil Service Measure will amend sections of the charter pertaining to employees of the mayor and civil service, including providing for the use of no more than three bands for each competitive eligible list of applicants, rather than no fewer than three bands; removing the current employee resident requirement; removing outdated language, and updating probationary rules.
Issue 21: The City Modernization Measure will allow the city to hold meetings virtually, in limited circumstances as determined by the ordinance of the City Council. Columbus residents will also have the opportunity to vote on one levy measure.
Issue 10: The Senior Services Levy Measure will renew a tax amounting to $0.175 per $100 in valuation, for five years, for the purpose of supporting senior citizens.
Cincinnati residents have five issues to vote for on their midterm ballot.
Issue 11: The Requirement of Mayor Assigning Legislative Matter to Appropriate Committee Measure requires the mayor to assign a legislative matter to the appropriate committee by the fourth meeting of the council that follows the date on which the legislative matter was submitted to the clerk of council.
Issue 3: The Emergency Requirements Tax Measure supports imposing a tax levy of $51.5 million per year, for 10 years, to provide for emergency requirements for the Cincinnati City School District.
Issue 8: The Indigent Care Levy supports renewing a tax to supplement the general fund, not exceeding $4.07 million over five years, to provide for health and hospitalization services.
Issue 9: The Mental Health Levy supports constituting a $3.37 million tax, over five years, to provide funds for the Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services District, and for the operation of mental health programs and the operation, construction, and maintenance of mental health facilities.
Issue 10: The Senior Citizens Services Levy supports renewing a tax supplementing the general fund, not exceeding $1.6 million over five years, to provide or maintain senior citizens services and facilities, including housekeeping, personal care, respite care for caregivers, home repair and maintenance, medical transportation, adult day care, home delivered meals, chore services, legal counseling, adult protective services, and durable medical equipment.
Cleveland residents will vote on two proposed tax levies in the upcoming election.
Issue 5: The Property Tax Measure would support enacting a property tax of $27 per $100,000 of assessed value to provide funding for the Cleveland Metropolitan Parks District.
Issue 6: The Property Tax Renewal Measure would support continuing a property tax of $13 per $100,000 of assessed value for five years to provide funding for the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority.
Toledo Residents have the opportunity to vote on three tax levies and one charter amendment on their ballot.
Issue 7: The Land Operation and Conservation Tax Measure supports renewing a tax of $0.09 per $100 in valuation for 10 years to acquire, operate, improve, conserve, and protect new and existing Metropark lands.
Issue 10: The Imagination Station Tax Measure supports renewing a tax of $0.017 per $100 in valuation for five years to maintain and operate the Imagination Station, Toledo’s nonprofit science center, and to promote the sciences.
Issue 11: The Toledo Lucas County Public Library Measure supports renewing a tax of $0.37 per $100 in valuation for five years to provide for the current expenses of the Toledo Lucas County Public Library.
Issue 21: The Charter of the City of Toledo Amendment will amend the charter of the City of Toledo as set forth in Ordinance 386-22.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected].
