policy
Summit County Levy Vote: How November Decision Affects Your Akron Property Taxes
Voters will decide in November on a proposed five-year renewal and increase of the county's 2.5-mill levy that funds public safety and road maintenance, with direct consequences for property tax bills mailed to Akron homes.
How we reported this
Summit County residents, including those in Akron, will vote November 3 on a ballot measure to renew and raise the existing 2.5-mill property tax levy for law enforcement, fire services and road repairs. The measure would add 0.5 mills, pushing the total rate to 3 mills and increasing the annual tax on a median-valued home by roughly 18 dollars, according to figures released by the Summit County Fiscal Office in its June 2026 projection report.
The levy last appeared on the ballot in 2021 and expires at the end of this year. County officials placed the renewed version before voters after the 2025 budget showed a projected 4.2 million dollar shortfall in public safety funding, a gap created when state reimbursements for local property tax reductions fell short of earlier estimates.
Changes to annual bills
For a homeowner in Akron's West Hill neighborhood whose property carries a taxable value of 62,000 dollars, the current levy portion adds 155 dollars to the yearly bill. Passage of the measure would raise that amount to 186 dollars, an increase that local tax records show would affect more than 48,000 residential parcels inside city limits. Renters could see indirect effects if landlords adjust lease rates to cover higher carrying costs.
Policy analysts at the Ohio Municipal League note that similar levies renewed in neighboring counties produced average household increases between 12 and 25 dollars per year, depending on assessed valuation. The Summit County measure includes a provision that would direct any surplus revenue above 1.8 million dollars into a reserve fund rather than further rate reductions.
Next steps for residents
Ballots will be mailed to registered voters starting October 15. The Summit County Board of Elections will hold three public information sessions in Akron during September, with the first scheduled for September 9 at the Akron-Summit County Public Library main branch. Absentee voting begins the same week ballots are mailed.
County officials have stated that if the measure fails, the levy will end December 31 and the 2027 budget will require cuts of approximately 2.1 million dollars in overtime pay for sheriff's deputies and reduced paving contracts for city streets. The government says the policy will maintain current service levels only if the higher rate is approved.