But the Hanover Township resident still plans to vote against the 1 percent income tax the Talawanda Board of Education is asking voters to approve Nov. 2. The income tax would be only on residents of the Talawanda district, which has some 3,200 students.

Voting in favor of the tax, Schmitt says, sends the wrong message to legislators who still haven't fixed the Ohio school funding formula, which has been ruled unconstitutional three times.

"As long as the citizens continue to pass these levies - income taxes and property taxes - we're never going to get any good statewide reform,'' Schmitt said. "Until (levy failures) cause a crisis, we're not going to get the legislature to do what they're supposed to do."

Marna Evans also wants change at the state level, but she has decided to support the income tax, estimated to bring about $3.9 million annually to coffers in the Butler County district.

"I'm solidly for the income tax even though the ultimate goal is to have changes at the state level,'' Evans said. "Schools are crying for help all over the state of Ohio."

Talawanda decided to go with an income tax instead of a property tax - even though an income tax failed in 1999 - because of information gleaned from town meetings and surveys, said Superintendent Phil Cagwin. The money would be used for day-to-day operations and to keep the district solvent for at least three school years.

About $750,000 has been trimmed from the 2003-04 and 2004-05 budgets, Cagwin said. Fees were also increased for athletics. If the income tax is defeated, additional cuts would be made to lessen the impact of a projected $4.7 million shortfall in the 2006-07 school year.

E-mail suek@infionline.net