FREMONT, Ohio — After election day, Fremont City Schools is potentially losing about $9 million a year in its operating budget.
Fremont voters denied the renewal of a 1 1/4 percent income tax that was first approved in 2002. That income tax brought in an average of $9 million a year, representing 20% of FCS' operating budget.
Superintendent Jon Detwiler says the district is not facing an emergency just yet, as the income tax will continue to be collected until January 2024.
That means the district has time to figure out how to get this income tax, or a similar one approved.
"Luckily I think the board was wise to get out at the first opportunity to make sure that we had a little buffer in time. So, there's no panic yet," Detwiler said. "We think we can talk to our community and see what we can do to get this taken care of, but we do have a little time."
With two more opportunities to get the income tax approved again in 2023, Detwiler says the district is aware they need to work hard, but are not in crisis mode.
"That's what we do next: start talking to our community and see what it is that maybe we're missing or if there's a better message or more information needed," he said. "And then we'll obviously talk to our school board and they'll make a decision on what to do next, and that'll all happen as soon as we get back in with the board."
Detwiler says the district will continue to collect on the remaining year of the current tax through 2023.