Treasurer's Notes

Each spring, the district releases its Financial Update — an annual report that provides a clear overview of our financial position and the factors shaping our budget in the years ahead. The 2025–2026 edition offers important context as we consider a potential combined operating levy and bond issue for the November 2026 ballot.

The first months of the year bring two notable milestones on the financial side of our district — the results of our annual state audit and the update to our financial forecast. 

Auditor of State Award

Being good stewards of taxpayer dollars is a core responsibility for our district, and wisely managing our resources is central to that commitment. Each year, we undergo a thorough, third-party financial review conducted by the State of Ohio Auditor’s Office. This independent evaluation ensures transparency and accountability in our financial practices. A team from the auditor's office carefully examines our records and processes, providing an important check on our fiscal management.

Property taxes are a hot topic in Ohio right now. Over the past several decades, the overall tax burden on families, senior citizens and homeowners has increased. When it comes to school property taxes specifically, the share paid by homeowners and farmers across the state has risen from 47% in 1991 to 70% in 2023. This change is partly due to state-level adjustments, including the elimination of what was known as the “rollback” — where the state previously covered 12.5% of a homeowner’s property tax bill — and the reduction of the business tangible personal property tax

In October, I presented the district’s financial forecast, formerly known as the five year forecast, to the Board of Education at their regular meeting. This represents a shift in our past practices based on a provision in the state biennium budget approved this past summer. 

Under the new state law, public school districts are now required to submit their current budget information, three years of historical financial information and three years of projections by August 31 of each fiscal year. This information must be updated and re-submitted with the state by the end of February for that fiscal year. Due to the timing of the passage of the budget bill, we had additional time to prepare our financial forecast for this fiscal year only and submit it by an October deadline.