At the end of Election Day more than two weeks ago, the 10-year renewal of the district’s 4-mill property levy tax request ended in a 620-620 tie, which, according to election laws, was a failure. But that result was unofficial as eight more ballots — four provisional cast on May 6 and four late-arriving mailed absentee — were to be considered during the certification.
On Thursday, the Butler County board of elections certified seven of the eight uncounted votes would be added. Six voters opposed the levy request and one supported it.
The levy was certified to have failed 626 to 621 on Thursday. The vote total is close enough that it will undergo a recount on Thursday. However, it’s unlikely the vote totals would change.
Since the board of elections started using electronic votes 20 years ago, no vote totals have been adjusted except once, when the voter used a pencil on a paper ballot, officials said.
“We’re disappointed by the results,” said Madison Schools Superintendent Jeff Staggs, adding that “some hard decisions” will be made for the upcoming school year.
The current levy expires at the end of the calendar year, and there will be one more chance to pass a levy request in November. Placing another ballot request would be a board decision, Staggs said it is “a real possibility” his recommendation would be to try again.
“We have one more opportunity for the renewal before the emergency levy goes off,” Staggs said.
Madison School Board meets again on Tuesday where Staggs expects some discussion to happen, but action isn’t expected that evening.
Any administrative recommendations would be discussed in the upcoming days and weeks, if not longer, he said. The board and administration held a work session earlier this year to discuss possible cuts, but what would eventually be done to make up for eliminating $1.1 million from the $20 million annual operating budget is unknown.
This was the first tax issue the 1,500-student district has sought since 2022, when voters said “no” to an earned income tax on that year’s spring ballot.
Since that rejection, Madison school officials have made operating budget cuts to balance the books. With the cuts, the district raised pay-to-participate fees by $200 per activity with no family maximum. Madison also cut some teaching positions, and 30 supplemental teaching and coaching positions were defunded.
Potential additional cuts could include busing to the high school, and administrative and teaching positions. They could also increase the pay-to-participate fee to $400.
The board of elections’ special meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Thursday.
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