WILMINGTON — The Clinton County Board of Elections certified 11 questions and issues for the November ballot, including a proposed renewal of the Wilmington City Schools (WCS) 1 percent income tax expiring at the end of the year.

This same proposed five-year income tax renewal was defeated both this spring and last fall.

The 1 percent income tax brings in about $5 million annually to the schools. This tax first passed 20 years ago.

At the November 2021 election, the WCS tax renewal lost by 168 votes (52.3 percent against, and 47.7 percent for); while the next time at the May 2022 election, it failed by 292 votes (54.6 percent against, and 45.4 percent for).

The turnout among the school district’s registered voters for last fall’s off-year General Election was 27.8 percent; while district turnout for this spring’s Primary Election wound up at 24.3 percent.

• Elsewhere, voters in the Blanchester Local School District are being asked to approve a six-year, 1.25 percent earned income tax to generate revenue for its schools.

At this past spring’s Primary Election, the proposed tax for Blanchester schools lost by 30 votes (51.3 percent against, and 48.7 percent for). The turnout among the Blanchester school district’s registered voters was 27.5 percent.

• Meanwhile, voters within the Village of Blanchester will decide the fate of a referendum on a tax for the town’s police department that was approved by village council this year. Though the issue’s approved ballot language speaks of the proposed 1 percent tax being levied on income, reportedly people on Social Security or receiving unemployment benefits would not be subject to the tax.

Listed below are the eight other local questions or issues on the fall ballot in Clinton County.

• Clark Township (including the Village of Martinsville) — Proposed 0.75-mill tax levy renewal for the purpose of providing ambulance service or emergency medical services (EMS), for five years

• Clark Township (including the Village of Martinsville) — Proposed 0.7-mill tax levy renewal for the purpose of providing and maintaining fire protection, for five years

• Clark Township (including the Village of Martinsville) — Proposed 1-mill tax levy renewal for the purpose of fire protection, for five years

• Richland Township (including the Village of Sabina) — Proposed 1-mill tax levy renewal for the purpose of maintaining and operating cemeteries, for five years

• Washington Township — Proposed 0.85-mill tax levy renewal for the purpose of providing and maintaining fire protection, for five years

• Village of Harveysburg — Proposed ordinance on electric aggregation. The approved ballot language asks: “Shall the Village of Harveysburg have the authority to aggregate the retail electric loads located in the incorporated areas of the Village of Harveysburg, and for that purpose, enter into service agreements to facilitate for those loads the sale and purchase of electricity, such aggregation to occur automatically except where any person elects to opt out?”

• Village of Harveysburg — Proposed tax levy (renewal and increase) for the purpose of providing and maintaining motor vehicles, communications, and other equipment used directly in the operations of the police department and payment of salaries and benefits of permanent police personnel. This consists of a renewal of 2 mills and an increase of 0.5 mill (total of 2.5 mills), for five years

• Village of Harveysburg — Proposed tax levy (renewal and increase) for the purpose of current operating expenses. This consists of a renewal of 2.5 mills and an increase of 0.5 mill (total of 3 mills), for five years

Reach Gary Huffenberger at 937-556-5768.