Voters renew property tax levy to benefit Cincinnati Zoo

The property tax brings in roughly $7 million per year in maintenance and animal care, including food, medical care and more. This makes up roughly 17% of the zoo’s budget.

In February 2023, Cincinnati Zoo Chief Operating Officer Dave Jenike asked the Hamilton County Tax Levy Committee for an “inflationary increase.” The committee rejected that proposal.

If the committee had allowed the zoo to seek more money, the tax levy would have asked for roughly $3 more per $100,000. This would have garnered an additional $3 million for the zoo to use in its yearly operating budget.

“The cost to care for and feed our animals has increased and the cost to stay on top of our aging infrastructure has continued to grow,” Jenike previously said. “Deferring problems only leads to bigger problems down the road.”