- Athens County officials certified the narrow victory for the city income tax increase by ten votes.
- The local income tax rate rises to 2.15% starting from the previous 1.95% mark.
- City officials expect the increase to generate $1.9 million in additional annual revenue by 2027.
(ATHENS, OHIO) – Athens County Board of Elections made the Athens, Ohio, income tax increase official after the final vote count showed the measure passed by 10 votes.
The city income tax rate will rise from 1.95% to 2.15%, an increase of 0.2 percentage points. Election officials had initially reported the measure as passing by five votes before completing the final tally.
The result settles a narrow local vote that turned on a handful of ballots. With the final vote count complete, the tax change now stands as the official outcome.
The measure covers the City of Athens income tax increase. Voters approved an increase from 1.95% to 2.15%, lifting the city rate by 0.2%.
That change is expected to generate about $1.9 million in additional revenue in tax year 2027. The projection gives the clearest figure yet for the size of the increase in city collections after the new rate takes effect.
The final margin of 10 votes was wider than the initially reported edge of five votes, but still underscored how close the contest was. In practical terms, the completed canvass confirmed the same outcome while doubling the margin.
Athens, Ohio, now moves from election uncertainty to implementation. The final tally closed the question of whether the income tax increase had passed and fixed the new rate at 2.15%.
The revenue estimate, about $1.9 million in 2027, points to the budget effect city officials can expect from the increase. The measure’s approval also gives Athens a firmer basis for planning city services around the higher tax rate.
Local tax measures often turn on a broad argument about how much residents should pay and what government should fund. In Athens, this one came down to a final vote count that left no room for ambiguity: the increase passed, and the new rate is official.
By the end of the count, the numbers were straightforward. The previous rate was 1.95%, the new rate is 2.15%, the increase is 0.2 percentage points, and the final vote count gave the measure victory by 10 votes.
