CLEVELAND — Voters in Cuyahoga County are being asked to help make sure the arts are funded through No. 55. That includes Playhouse Square, which is the second largest theater district in the country.

At Cleveland Public Theatre, telling stories is just the surface of what they do.

“We’re creating a full season of productions that truly represent many of Cleveland’s diverse communities,” said Cleveland Public Theater Artistic Director Raymond Bobgan.

Through their nonprofit organization, they offer a laundry list of things, including different productions, classes, and experiences.

“Cleveland Public Theater’s mission is to raise awareness and cultivate compassion through innovative performances and life-changing educational programs,” said Raymond.

What helps afford their work is a cigarette tax passed in 2006 and renewed in 2015. It helps fund more than 300 arts and culture nonprofits, including CPT, in Cuyahoga County.

“We’re talking about more programs for kids in our community. We’re talking about work that’s attracting investment from outside Cleveland, from outside the region, and we’re talking about world-class artwork being made here,” Raymond said.

However, since 2006, cigarette sales have fallen by more than 50%, reducing income and funding for the arts. So Izzy Stewart with R Strategy Group is pushing to increase it by 55

“Number 55 is a replacement tax to replace the current cigarette tax with a new tax to provide increased, longer-term funding for nonprofit arts and culture here,” Izzy said.

The current tax is 15 mills (1.5 cents) per cigarette; if it goes up, it would be 35 mills (3.5 cents) per cigarette sold in the county, totaling a tax of 70 cents per standard pack of cigarettes.

“This funding has reached every corner of Cuyahoga County, and No. 55 will help improve educational outcomes. It will improve our quality of life. It will boost our local economy and build stronger neighborhoods,” Izzy said.

Some voters News 5 spoke with are against any tax increase.

“I feel it should stay the same or go down, nobody wants to pay more money for cigarettes,” said one voter.

Others have told us they see no problem with it.

Issue 55 needs a majority vote to pass, and Izzy estimates it will bring in more than $160 million in revenue over the decade. If not, Raymond fears what the repercussions will look like.

“We are, like so many arts organizations in our city, we are vibrant, we are resilient. We will get through, but what it means for our larger community is less for everyone,” Raymond said. “It means a decrease in the number of children we can serve. It means a decrease in the number of local parts we can produce, and it means a decrease in labor.”

But he says that whatever it is, they will find a way to continue their work.

The portion of the cigarette tax allocated to the CAC is separate from the “sin tax” on cigarettes and alcohol, which relates to improving the financing facility for the Cavaliers, Guardians and Browns.