A 0.20% sales and use tax would provide dedicated local funding to expand and strengthen public transportation throughout Delaware County.
The measure asks voters to approve a 0.20% sales and use tax on purchases already subject to Ohio sales tax. Anything already exempt from Ohio sales tax — groceries, prescriptions, and the like — stays exempt. If approved, it would be levied on a continuing basis to fund public transit in the DCRTA service area.
Based on DCRTA's current service plan, here's the route the funding would take. Nothing here happens all at once — each stop depends on funding, staffing, vehicles, and Board approval.
Expanding City of Delaware FLEX microtransit to run every day of the week, not just weekdays.
Building out same-day scheduling for door-to-door service across all of Delaware County.
Bringing curb-to-curb microtransit service into Orange Township.
Establishing microtransit in areas that currently have no DCRTA coverage.
Improving links between transit service areas across southern Delaware County.
Laying the groundwork for future commuter or express transportation options.
Keeping the fleet current so service stays reliable.
Evaluating a larger transit facility or a new satellite location in southern Delaware County.
None of this happens overnight. Service improvements roll out in phases, shaped by ridership demand, operational planning, and approval from the DCRTA Board along the way.
The levy would build on service that already exists — it doesn't start from zero.
Scheduled, door-to-door service available across Delaware County for older adults, individuals with disabilities, veterans, students, employees, and the general public.
Same-day, curb-to-curb microtransit currently serving the City of Delaware and the Sunbury/Galena area.
DCRTA has no ongoing local tax funding today. Service runs on federal and state grants, passenger fares, contracts, and local partnerships — and fares alone only cover part of the cost of running the system. Some of that grant and contract money is also restricted to specific programs.
Everything above, plus a few more details, in one expandable list.
Voters in the DCRTA service area will be asked to approve a 0.20% sales and use tax to support public transportation.
No. It's a sales and use tax applied only to purchases already subject to Ohio sales tax — it does not touch property values or property tax bills.
Only purchases already subject to Ohio sales tax. Anything currently exempt under Ohio law — including most groceries and prescriptions — would remain exempt.
If approved, it would be levied on a continuing basis rather than for a fixed number of years.
No. They'd be phased in over time based on funding, staffing, vehicle availability, operational planning, ridership demand, and DCRTA Board approval.
No — fares cover only a portion of what it costs to run the system.
DCRTA would keep operating on its current mix of grants, contracts, fares, and partnerships, but the service expansions described above would not have the proposed tax revenue to support them.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
The Delaware County Board of Elections handles registration, polling locations, and absentee voting.
The exact wording that will appear on the ballot is published by the Delaware County Board of Elections.