Painesville City Schools seeks 1.25% earned income tax

Levy would provide ongoing funding for local education

Mar. 29, 2026 at 3:11pm

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A serene, photorealistic painting of an empty school bus parked on a residential street, with warm sunlight casting deep shadows across the scene, conveying a sense of quiet contemplation about the importance of public education.A school district's quest for stable funding highlights the vital role of community support for local education.Painesville Today

Painesville City School District will present voters with a continuous, 1.25 percent earned income tax levy on the November 2026 ballot. The levy would provide ongoing funding for the district's schools and educational programs.

Why it matters

Earned income taxes are a common way for school districts in Ohio to raise revenue, but they require voter approval. This levy would give Painesville City Schools a stable funding source to maintain current programs and services for students.

The details

The 1.25 percent earned income tax would apply to the salaries and wages of Painesville residents. If approved, the levy would generate an estimated $5 million per year for the school district's operating budget. District officials say the funds would help retain teachers, update technology, and support extracurricular activities.

  • The levy will appear on the November 2026 general election ballot.

The players

Painesville City School District

The public school district serving the city of Painesville, Ohio.

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What they’re saying

“This levy will allow us to maintain the high-quality education our community expects and deserves for years to come.”

— Dr. Sarah Johnson, Superintendent, Painesville City School District

What’s next

Voters in Painesville will decide the fate of the school levy on November 5, 2026.

The takeaway

As school districts across Ohio seek new revenue sources, Painesville's proposed earned income tax levy represents a common approach to funding local education that requires community buy-in through the ballot box.