Cuyahoga County voters now have a number to go with this fall’s expansion levy for the cigarette tax for the arts: 55.
“Easy to remember: Five-five, double nickels,” said Jeremy Johnson, CEO of Assembly for the Arts, a nonprofit advocacy group. “Let’s hit 55 in 55 days. We have to be sure we are successful on Election Day.”
At Wednesday’s Cuyahoga Arts & Culture Board meeting, discussion briefly turned to the campaign to expand the tax, which is slated to expire in 2027. The agency was formed to distribute the proceeds from a 30-cents-per-pack cigarette tax. That tax would jump to 70 cents if Issue 55 passes.
Revenue from the tax has steadily declined since 2007 by more than 50%. So far in 2024, year-over-year revenue is down 13.3%.
“Dollars continue to go down. There is no plateau,” said CAC Executive Director Jill Paulsen.
Paulsen and Jake Sinatra, CAC’s director of grantmaking strategy, also detailed survey results from this spring which showed that many nonprofits have some confusion over how CAC is funded. There were suggestions to diversify the funding source and include marijuana sales. Johnson said that before considering other funding sources, he’s focused on this November’s ballot.
“We still have a ways to go to get more awareness out,” he said. “Now that we have the issue number, we’re reprinting all of our materials. We are getting our yard signs ready. There’s going to be plenty of grassroots visibility … from Lakewood to Larchmere.”
Last year, a plan to tax vape products was rescinded. Over the past two decades, other taxes have been considered on video rentals, dine-in meals or alcohol. Those ideas were never officially presented to voters. Issue 55, if approved, is estimated to generate about $160 million over the next decade.
In 2023, the CAC Board approved $10.75 million in grants to arts nonprofits, including Ideastream Public Media. Ideastream has also donated to the arts levy campaign.
