Westerville schools outline $20 million in potential cuts if November levy fails

Westerville City Schools officials told the school board on Sept. 22 they are projecting a multi-year operating deficit and recommended a set of reductions that would be implemented if voters do not approve a proposed 0.75% earned-income tax on Nov. 4. The district presented a target reduction of about $20,000,000 to close projected gaps in fiscal years 2026–2028.

District finance staff said the forecast reflects continuing declines in the state share of school funding, flat local property tax revenue and rising expenses. “This forecast is developed based on the best information that we have available to us today,” Nicole Marshall, district finance staff, told the board during the presentation. Marshall said the district is projecting the general fund deficit to widen in coming years and that the $20 million figure represents a planning target, not a final budget.

The proposed reduction measures the administration presented to the board include changes across several program and staffing categories. The district recommended raising participation fees for extracurricular activities and athletics, scaling back transportation service, and making significant staffing reductions across elementary, middle and high school programs if the levy fails.

Why it matters: the board said the proposed earned-income tax would generate about $24.3 million if approved, and without that revenue the district would need to balance its budget through expense reductions and reserves. Board members and district leaders repeatedly emphasized that many of the recommended cuts would reduce student programming and would take years to restore if implemented.

Key details from the presentation - Forecast and scale: The district reported roughly 14,600 students and an operating budget near $229 million. Marshall said the district’s state funding…