Wednesday, October 7, 2015

On November 3, voters in Cuyahoga County in Ohio will be presented with Issue 8—a ballot initiative which will seek to renew a penny-and-a-half sales tax on cigarette sales that directly benefits local arts organizations for an additional 10 years. If not renewed, the levy will expire on January 21, 2017. Originally approved by voters in 2006, the sales tax created the Cuyahoga Arts & Culture which has since distributed more than $125 million to 300 arts and culture organizations throughout Cuyahoga County. The levy currently raises $15 million a year, but the Cuyahoga Arts & Culture projects that the funds will drop below $10 million by 2026. The campaign for Issue 8 is saying that they are only asking for a renewal and do not seek to raise residents’ taxes.
 

Yes