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Superintendent highlights first corporate-sponsorship event; flags July 21 House activity on veto overrides
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Willingham thanked community organizers for the district’s first corporate-sponsorship event and briefed the board on pending state legislative activity that could affect local levies and funding; a Franklin County court ruling on the voucher program was also noted.
KENTON, Ohio — Superintendent Dr. Willingham opened his July 14 report by thanking community partners and staff who organized the district’s first corporate-sponsorship event and said early donations and agreements are already moving forward.
“I just wanted to, again, thank Mister Kales, as well as Amy Sparks, Chrissy Arich,” Willingham said, naming staff and community volunteers involved with organizing the sponsorship outreach.
Willingham shifted to state developments that could affect school funding. He said a Franklin County court ruled the state’s voucher program unconstitutional and an appeal is beginning. He also outlined several House items under consideration that the superintendent said could change levy mechanics — describing items he labeled 55, 65 and 66 — and warned that some legislative changes could make school districts appear on the ballot more frequently.
Why it matters: changes to levy rules or to which levies count toward mills could increase the frequency districts must ask voters for additional funds, district officials said. Willingham said the governor is assembling a property-tax review with an expected target date of September 30 and that the district supports a “real property tax reform” process rather than quick fixes that could shift burdens to local voters.
Board members asked for more detail on the state items and noted that any changes would have different effects in districts that span multiple counties. Willingham said he did not yet have detailed legal analysis and offered to follow up when more information is available.
No formal board action was taken on state legislation; the superintendent’s report was informational.
