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West Clermont officials brief board on bond statement of facts and potential state aid cuts from House Bill 96
Summary
District officials reviewed the bond 'statement of facts,' corrected a past misstatement about prior bond millage, explained where to find bond information online, and presented simulations showing how House Bill 96 could reduce state school funding and increase local pressure.
District finance and leadership staff used the March 17 meeting to walk board members and the public through the district’s bond 'statement of facts,' correct an earlier misstatement about a prior bond package, and present fiscal simulations of how House Bill 96 would affect West Clermont’s state funding.
The treasurer and superintendent described where residents can find one-page summaries, cost-impact charts and videos on the district bond webpage and urged people to review the material and ask questions at scheduled town halls. The administration corrected an earlier in-meeting statement: one past bond proposal was reduced substantially before it passed, rather than remaining at the original size.
Treasury staff presented a slide summary prepared from Ohio Legislative Services simulations and internal calculations showing the effect of House Bill 96 on the district’s core foundation funding and the temporary transition guarantee. The presentation said core foundation funding under the bill would decline substantially while the temporary transition guarantee would phase down; the district’s simulation showed a projected reduction in state support of about $700,000 in FY 2026 and about $1.4 million in FY 2027 compared with current law, for a two-year biennium reduction of roughly $2.1 million.
Officials told the board that West Clermont currently spends less per pupil than many districts and is deeply under the transition guarantee because local property valuations have increased; they said reductions in the guarantee and proposed property-tax reforms at the state level could increase pressure on local taxpayers and affect the district’s ability to cover rising costs. The presentation also highlighted demographic changes in the district—rising numbers of economically disadvantaged students, students with higher special-education needs and English-language learners—that affect cost drivers.
Board members and staff discussed outreach plans, including a town hall scheduled March 19 at Amelia Elementary, targeted communications on the bond webpage and outreach to state legislators in Columbus. The superintendent and two board members planned to meet state legislators the next day to discuss House Bill 96, local impacts and the district’s request to preserve the temporary transition guarantee or seek targeted relief instead of broad property-tax changes.
The administration asked board members to flag misinformation they encounter so it can be corrected in the district newsletter and online materials. Officials emphasized that, while fair-school formula changes and property-tax reforms are complex, the district’s immediate request for state legislators is to preserve the guarantee and consider targeted relief for taxpayers adversely affected by valuation increases.
The presentation did not propose immediate board action; rather, it provided the financial context for the district’s bond communications and upcoming legislative outreach.
