ElectionsThursday, November 5
Wadsworth voters reject a school income tax for the second time in 2026
The Morning Medina team
Wadsworth voters turned down a 1% earned-income tax for the city schools Tuesday, 7,457 votes to 5,661, according to complete unofficial results from the Medina County Board of Elections. In May, nearly 70% of voters rejected a 1.5% tax with no end date. Countywide, more than 86,000 ballots were cast, and the secretary of state's office put Medina County's turnout sixth-highest in Ohio.
Wadsworth voters rejected the school income tax with 56.85% against
Unofficial results, all 124 Election Day precincts counted
Wadsworth City Schools 1% income tax, five years
Source: Cleveland.com
View as table
| Race | Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wadsworth City Schools 1% income tax, five years | Against, won | 7,457 | 56.8% |
| Wadsworth City Schools 1% income tax, five years | For | 5,661 | 43.2% |
Without new revenue or more cuts, the district projects its cash balance could fall about $2.4 million below zero in fiscal 2029 and roughly $13 million below zero in fiscal 2030. S&P Global Ratings revised its outlook for the district from stable to negative in June and affirmed its AA- rating. FOX 8 lists Wadsworth among more than 16 Northeast Ohio districts where levies failed Tuesday.
The tax would have raised $8.86 million a year
- $8.86 million
- a year the tax would have raised, per the county auditor
- $500
- a year for someone earning $50,000 in taxable wages
- $4.5 million
- a year in expected improvement from district cuts and other measures
Source: Cleveland.com
- Length: five years, starting Jan. 1, 2027
- Would have applied to wages, salaries, tips and net self-employment earnings
- Exempt: Social Security, pensions and investment income
- Results stay unofficial until certified
Sources: Cleveland.com, Medina Gazette, FOX 8 News