Nov. 9—GENEVA — A renewal levy for Geneva Area City Schools failed for the third time Tuesday, according to unofficial results from the Ashtabula County Board of Elections.
The levy received 4,351 votes against and 3,022 in favor.
If passed, the levy would have collected $205,000 annually from 0.85 factories.
The levy failed for the first time at last year’s general election, when it received 3,397 votes against and 2,242 in favor.
In the March 19 elections, the levy received 1,947 votes against and 962 votes in favor.
Interim Superintendent David Riley said he learned about the levy’s third failure the day after the election.
“It was a disappointment,” he said. “It has been on the ballot several times, and it has been there for a number of years.”
Because the levy failed for the third time, it cannot be placed on the ballot again.
This levy has been part of the district’s financing since 1959.
Shelley McDermott, treasurer of Geneva schools, said the failure of the levy will result in a $100,000 loss in the district’s permanent improvement fund for 2025, and a $200,000 loss the year after.
Riley said the district will take this into account in its finances.
“We’re going to have to look at where we are, what this means, what the impact is for our district going forward,” he said.
McDermott will speak at the Nov. 20 school board meeting about the loss of the levy based on her five-year forecast.
Riley said he encourages families to pay attention to the upcoming forecast.
There is currently no official plan for a new tax on ballots.
Riley said he doesn’t think district-specific issues played a role in the levy’s failure.
“Geneva is not alone in failing to pass tariffs in the last election,” he said.
A news release from the Ohio School Boards Association states that voters in the state approved 51% of school tax initiatives this election, a decrease of 19% from the Nov. 7, 2023 election.
The release said renewal fees are more popular, but there was also less support.
Riley said levies are always controversial, whether for schools, fire, police or other local services.
“There are a lot of taxes on homeowners,” he said. “The economy right now is a struggle right now. I understand that was on some people’s minds when they added in the taxes and all the things they were getting.”
Riley said he thinks the district could have published it better.
“Families in the district support what the district is trying to do and what we’ve done. I really just think it’s a financial piece for families at this point,” he said.
Riley said he appreciates residents’ input.
