What does a YES vote on Summit County Issue 7 mean?

Norton City School District would levy a 0.75% income tax on the earned income of residents for current operating expenses, for a continuing period of time starting January 1, 2027.

What does a NO vote on Summit County Issue 7 mean?

Norton City School District would not levy this 0.75% income tax.

Does this replace the current school income tax?

No. The county synopsis labels it an additional income tax; the district's existing 0.5% rate is on the state's 2026 list.

Is retirement or investment income taxed?

Not under an earned-income tax. The Legislative Service Commission says earned income includes only wages, salaries and self-employment income.

When would it start, and does it expire?

It begins January 1, 2027 and runs for a continuing period of time, per the ballot language.

How many votes does Summit County Issue 7 need to pass?

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Should I vote yes or no on Summit County Issue 7?

SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.

The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.

Summit County Issue 7 — Norton City School District proposed income tax

Last updated Sat, Nov 7, 4:33 PM ET

Ballot measure · November 3, 2026 · Norton City school district voters

What it does: Shall an annual income tax of point seven five percent (0.75%) on the earned income of individuals residing in the school district be imposed by the Norton City School District, for a continuing period of time, beginning January 1, 2027, for the purpose of current operating expenses?
A YES vote means: Norton City School District would levy a 0.75% income tax on the earned income of residents for current operating expenses, for a continuing period of time starting January 1, 2027.
A NO vote means: Norton City School District would not levy this 0.75% income tax.
Needed to pass: A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
Left–right lean: Unclear: our AI read of the official summary isn't confident enough (we require 70%) to place this on the left–right spectrum, so we don't. Read the summary and decide for yourself.

The YES and NO lines are SpectrumVote's plain-language reading of the official text above; the official text is what you vote on.

Official text: source

Explained

Today

Norton City School District (Summit County) already levies a school district income tax of 0.5%, per the Ohio Department of Taxation's 2026 list of school district rates.
Ohio school district income taxes are paid by residents of the district. According to the Legislative Service Commission, an earned-income tax covers only wages, salaries and self-employment income, not interest, dividends or other income.

If it passes

Adds a new 0.75% income tax on the earned income of individuals living in the school district, starting January 1, 2027.
It would continue with no end date ("a continuing period of time") and is for current operating expenses.
The county's issue synopsis lists it as an additional tax, so it would be on top of the existing 0.5%.

Example

At 0.75%, a resident pays $75 for each $10,000 of earned income (wages, salaries or self-employment income). Retirement income, interest and dividends are not earned income. (source)

Who would notice

People who live in the Norton City School District and have wages or self-employment income. People who work in the district but live elsewhere do not pay a school district income tax. Property taxes are not changed by this question.

How it got here

The Norton Board of Education placed the question on the November 3, 2026 ballot as Summit County Issue 7. The ballot language says the money is for current operating expenses.

Written by SpectrumVote from 3 linked sources (1, 2, 3). Arguments are each side's own, not ours; the official text is what you vote on.

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Quick answers

What does a YES vote on Summit County Issue 7 mean?: Norton City School District would levy a 0.75% income tax on the earned income of residents for current operating expenses, for a continuing period of time starting January 1, 2027.
What does a NO vote on Summit County Issue 7 mean?: Norton City School District would not levy this 0.75% income tax.
Does this replace the current school income tax?: No. The county synopsis labels it an additional income tax; the district's existing 0.5% rate is on the state's 2026 list.
Is retirement or investment income taxed?: Not under an earned-income tax. The Legislative Service Commission says earned income includes only wages, salaries and self-employment income.
When would it start, and does it expire?: It begins January 1, 2027 and runs for a continuing period of time, per the ballot language.
How many votes does Summit County Issue 7 need to pass?: A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
Should I vote yes or no on Summit County Issue 7?: SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.
When is the vote?: The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.

Not sure how to decide? Read our nonpartisan guide to the Summit County ballot.

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