News Summary

ROSS TWP. — Voters in the Ross Local School District may get a chance to decide whether retirees and others would get a break on their tax bill.

Ross Board of Education members on Wednesday night, July 23, voted 4-0 to put a 0.75 percent continuous earned income tax levy on the November ballot.

Retirement and investment income would be exempt from the proposed tax, which will result in a yearly revenue loss for the Ross school district of nearly $500,000, said board President David Brown.

"Our board feels strongly that our school district belongs to the taxpayers who support it," Brown said. "This is an effort to understand what the economy is like. It's going to force us to continue to make cuts and belt tighten."

The move is the initial step to put the issue before district voters on the November ballot. Board member Dick Ballard was not at the meeting because of vacation.

At a work session held July 9 board members discussed issues dealing with the levy.

The current income tax — a four-year, 0.75 percent — was approved by voters in May 2005 and expires in 2009.

An online survey performed by Ross schools shows that residents would vote in favor of an earned income tax levy in November.

An invitation was sent to registered voters to vote in an online survey about the levy by school officials. Results showed 445 people would vote for the levy; 154 were against it.