REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio (WCMH) — Reynoldsburg school officials are figuring out a new plan of action after voters failed the district’s 6.65 mills emergency operating levy Tuesday.

The district said this would have addressed its revenue deficit. Reynoldsburg schools said that with this levy failing, there will be budget cuts.

“It was really disappointing,” said Becky Taylor, who has two kids in Reynoldsburg schools.

The levy failed by a nearly 10% margin. The school district said this means there will be budget cuts.

“They’ve done the best they can with the very limited resources that they’ve had and they can’t take money from nowhere, so they’re just going to have to cut resources and it’s going to affect the kids,” Taylor said.

The levy would have cost taxpayers about $233 per $100,000 of their home’s appraisal value.

The district said the money would have gone toward its revenue deficit.

“I work in foster care, so I know how much kids need. All of the education tools, the books, everything’s super expensive,” said Destiney Marlow. “I also understand what it’s like to struggle and not have enough income for things. So I don’t put that past anybody for voting no. It’s their right to do it. But maybe there’s some other way that we can try and get the funds for the schools.”

NBC4 spoke to a few people who voted against the levy. They said that the tax hike is just too much money for them.

Reynoldsburg Superintendent Dr. Tracy Reed released a statement Wednesday after the levy failed.

“We understand that this outcome may raise concerns about the future of our programs and services,” Reed said “We want to assure you that we are committed to finding ways to continue providing quality education and support to our students and families. Our team will be exploring alternative funding sources and strategies to mitigate the impact of this outcome.”

Reed said at an October board meeting this could lead to salary cuts and budget cuts for extracurriculars. In the statement released Wednesday, she said no decisions have been made at this time and none will be made without the board of education’s approval. 

Reynoldsburg parents are now wondering what happens next.

“I spend a lot of time in the schools, volunteering in the classrooms and for the events, and I see the need and I see the need for services,” Taylor said. “Your local elections impact you so much more. And I really would love to see people get involved and not just going to vote, but like get involved throughout the year.”

The district is encouraging people to reach out as it works through the next steps, saying it wants to be transparent and upfront with any decisions.