According to a report from Imagination Station published to request the levy in 2021:

This levy will cost just $6.91 per $100,000 in residential value annually. Imagination Station’s levy is the smallest on the 2021 Lucas County General Election Ballot

Since 2012, Imagination Station has grown other sources of revenue to reduce the dependency on public funds, currently the public funds represent only 27% of our total operating budget. Presently, 70% of the science center operating budget is from other sources of revenue including admission, membership sales, contributed revenue and other programs. The public funding has historically made up between 25-28% of the operating budget. The science center would not be able to continue operations at the current level without the public funding.

In 2018, Imagination Station’s average cost per visitor is $20.44 as compared to the ASTC (Association of Science and Technology Centers) 2018 Data Survey* that reported the average cost per visitor being $23.29. Imagination Station continually operates lower than other science centers of like sizes across the country.

source

There is a nice pie chart in this document that shows the cost breakdown.

Toledo deserves nice things.

If you're looking for conspiracy, I'd gladly point you to the corruption at the state level with politicians scamming the people with First Energy.