57 percent of levies for Ohio schools pass

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Voters approved new tax money for the first time in 10 years in a northeast Ohio district that the state took over in January because of budget problems.
The emergency operating levy approved Tuesday in the Sheffield-Sheffield Lake school district in Lorain County was among 222 school tax issues up for a vote across the state. Voters passed 127, or 57 percent, a 7 percentage point increase from last year when 144 of 286 issues were approved.
The Sheffield district's 5.99-mill emergency operating levy passed with 53 percent of the vote after nine attempts to get new tax money failed.
After voters turned down a levy in February, the district decided to lower the amount it was seeking on the ballot.
Among other school issues, suburban Columbus voters approved a $11.9 million bond issue that will allow the Hamilton district to build all new schools. About 60 percent of the voters supported the district's fifth attempt to pass the issue.
The buildings to be replaced include a 65-year-old high school.