CINCINNATI – Voters in the Greater Cincinnati region had several taxes to consider on the ballot this election, from street maintenance, schools, mental health services and more.

I reviewed ballot tax election results in Hamilton, Clermont, Butler, Warren, Brown, Adams and Highland counties.

In general, voters in the counties I analyzed approved on their ballots most of the taxes that were renewals, meaning that property taxes would not increase if those taxes were approved, because homeowners were already paying them.

However, many taxes that requested increases, or additional taxes that would have increased property taxes, did not fare as well across the region.

In total, school taxes faced the greatest rejection by voters county by county. By contrast, voters very often voted to pay tax increases on services like police, fire, and emergency services.

Here’s how each county voted on taxes in this election:

Hamilton County:

In Hamilton County, voters approved every tax renewal on the ballot, although some did so by narrow margins.

Those renewed liens are:

• City of Cheviot: 50.35% approval, a difference of only 25 votes
• Town of Addyston: 57.51% approved
• Town of Glendale: 70.31% approved
• Manor Golf Village: 53.02% pass
• Town of Greenhills: 66.18% approved
• Town of North Bend: 62.07% approved
• Town of Woodlawn: 71% approved
• Miami Municipality: 61.24%
• Columbia Township Waste Disposal District: 79.16% approved
• Hamilton County Family Services: 63.23% Pass
• Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities: 66.31% Pass

However, voters were more reluctant to approve taxes that would increase property taxes in Hamilton County.
These are the new ballot levies that voters rejected:

• Town of North Bend: 54.12% rejected
• Whitewater Township: 62.98% rejected
• Mt. Healthy City School District: 55.58% rejected
• Princeton City School District: 51.24% rejected
• Anderson Township Park District: 51.50% rejected

These are the new ballot levies that voters approved:

• Town of Greenhills: 68.44% voted in favor
• Anderson Township: 50.67% voted in favor, a difference of 363 votes
• Springfield Municipality: 55.98% voted in favor
• Symmes Municipality: 54.45% voted in favor
• Mariemont City School District: 62.37% voted yes

There are also some outliers to consider.
In Miami Township, voters approved the renewal of one municipal tax, but rejected the renewal of a second tax that would have increased the previously existing tax. The renewal and tax increase failed: 53% of voters rejected it.

Some, but not many, Hamilton County residents voted on an income tax for the Milford Village Exempt School District; most votes in favor of that tax were cast in Clermont County, but a small portion of Milford extends into Hamilton County. The tax failed in both counties.

The Princeton City School District tax was voted on in three different counties, because the district covers them all: Hamilton, Clermont and Warren. He failed in all three.

The only school district tax that passed in Hamilton County this election was Mariemont.

Clermont County:

Clermont County only had one renewal tax voters faced in this election: a tax on the city of Milford. It was approved and 62.33% of voters decided to renew it.

Goshen Township voters approved replacing an existing tax with one that reduces the cost for homeowners. That tax was approved by 58.26% of voters.

Aside from those two taxes, Clermont County voters rejected all other taxes on the ballot:

• Additional tax for the municipality of Miami: 56.62% rejected
• Replacement tax for Tate Township: 61.16% rejected
• Additional tax for the municipality of Washington: 55.86% rejected
• Income tax for Milford Village Exempt School District: 58.08% rejected

Butler County:

Butler County voters predominantly saw new taxes on their ballots. The only renewal was a tax for the Lane Public Library, which passed with 56.62% of the vote.

Even as officials rushed in late 2023 to approve measures to soften the blow of an average 37% property tax increase, Butler County voters approved the vast majority of taxes on their ballots, most of which will be added to your property taxes.

Only three of 11 taxes on the Butler County ballot failed to pass:

• New Miami Village street tax: Rejected by just one vote
• Princeton City Schools Tax: 56.6% Rejected
• Additional tax for Midpointe Public Library: 56.33% rejected

However, Butler County voters showed their support for police, fire, and EMS: Voters approved several taxes for local services.
Voters approved these taxes:

• Oxford City Fire Tax: 72.91% voted in favor
• College Corner Police Tax: 61.9% voted in favor
• New fire tax in Miami: 57.12% voted in favor
• Lemon Township fire tax: 60.40% voted yes
• Ross Township Fire Tax – 62.83% voted yes

The final tax on the Butler County ballot, an additional tax for mental health services, also passed with 55.32% of the vote.
Warren County:

Unlike their neighbors to the west, Warren County voters rejected all but one tax.

The only successful fundraiser was for Clinton-Warren fire services, with 72% voter support.

These are the taxes that failed in Warren County:

• Middletown Public Library: 64.16% rejected
• Harveysburg operating tax: 64.39% rejected
• Harveysburg Police Tax: 61.97% Rejected
• Wayne Township Fire Tax: 56.66% Rejected
• Clinton Massie Local School District: 56.37% rejected
• Princeton City Schools Tax: 56.76% Rejected

Brown County:

Brown County voters approved all seven tax renewals on their ballots:

• Tax levy for Fayetteville: 61.29% approved
• A second tax for Fayetteville: 62.84% approved
• Byrd Township Cemeteries: 61.19% approved
• Huntington Township Cemeteries: 51.33% approved
• Perry Township EMS: 65.37% Pass
• Perry Township Fire/EMS: 65.54% Pass
• Brown County Extension Tax: 55.19%

The new taxes, which would add additional taxes for homeowners, were more of a mixed bag for Brown County voters.
Voters easily approved an additional tax for Byrd Township EMS, with 62.07% voting in favor, but just as easily overturned a tax for Ripley police, with 63.81% rejecting it.

Voters also approved replacement taxes for Pike Township Fire and EMS Services and Perry Township Fire and EMS Services. Pike Township’s levy passed with 50.71% of the vote, while Perry Township passed with 60% of the vote.

Adams County:

Adams County voters had 10 different taxes to decide on — the third most of any county in the region, behind Hamilton and Butler.

None of the taxes were listed on the county Board of Elections site as renewals, but Adams County followed Butler County more closely than Hamilton County in what voters approved and what they rejected.

There were no school taxes, but Adams County voters approved taxes on fire services and 911, while rejecting taxes for some municipalities and for Adams County Children’s Services.

These taxes were approved by Adams County voters:

• Current Village of Peebles 1 Expenses: 57.83% Approved
• Current Village of Peebles 2 Expenses: 55.82% Approved
• Peebles fire tax: 66.26% approved
• Wayne Township Fire Tax: 63.12% Approved
• Adams County 911: 50.28% approved

These taxes were rejected by Adams County voters:

• Town of Winchester Current Expenses 1: 53.68% rejected
• Town of Winchester Current Expenses 2: 54.94% rejected
• Bratton Township current expenses: 51.22% rejected, a difference of 17 votes
• Oliver Township road repairs: 56% rejected
• Adams County Children’s Services: 53.78% rejected

Highland County:

Highland County voters had five taxes on the ballot, but only approved two. There were no taxes listed as renewals on the Highland County ballot.

Voters agreed to increase property taxes by approving taxes that support Marshal Township fire services, which garnered 65.91% of the vote, and Clay Township cemeteries, which 55.97% of voters approved .

These taxes were rejected by Highland County voters:

• Mowrystown Current Expenditure Tax: 58% rejected
• Highland County Children’s Services Rate: 51.44% Rejected
• Highland County Health Department Tax: 57.19% Rejected