The superintendent of Brunswick City Schools urged residents on July 15 to contact state lawmakers and oppose efforts to override portions of House Bill 96 that the governor vetoed, saying the district could lose local control over levy and millage decisions.

The superintendent told the school board that provisions in the House-passed budget bill—particularly items he identified as 55, 65 and 66—could allow the County Budget Commission to roll back millage, fold certain levy millage into a 20-mill floor, and eliminate fixed-sum (emergency) levies. "We were pleasantly surprised that many of the things that would be harmful to the Brunswick City School District were indeed vetoed," the superintendent said. "But now we're in a position where the house and the senate have what's called veto override authority."

The superintendent said the district calculated potential losses "in excess of $20,000,000" under some earlier proposals and said the community should help contact Representative Melanie Miller, whom he described as a "friend of the district." He framed the request as an effort to preserve local control and the district's existing revenue tools that were adopted locally beginning in the 1980s.

Board members and the superintendent discussed the consequences of the proposed changes for Brunswick and other Ohio districts. The superintendent emphasized that the district supports some form of tax reform but said the HB96 provisions under consideration were not the right approach. "Governor DeWine thought that it's a good idea that this needs to be vetoed to preserve local control," the superintendent said.

The board did not take a formal vote on a resolution at the July 15 meeting; the session recorded a public request that community members contact legislators ahead of a scheduled vote the week of July 21. The superintendent said if the House overrides the vetoes, the Senate could then take up an override vote, and that successful overrides in both chambers would reinstate the vetoed provisions.

The superintendent noted this is a statewide concern affecting many districts, not just Brunswick, and reiterated the district's outreach to residents in Brunswick, Brunswick Hills and part of Hinckley Township.

The board will continue monitoring the legislative timeline and advocacy options.