Superintendent Scott Goggin and Treasurer Todd Hopkins told the Westlake City Schools Board of Education on June 27 that House Bill 96, the recently passed state budget bill now headed to the governor, contains multiple provisions that could reduce local fiscal flexibility and change how the district plans capital projects and operating reserves.

The board discussed details of the bill, notably a 40% cap on carryover balances and new authority for local budget bodies, saying the changes may force districts to return to voters more often to maintain planned projects and services. "We think having six months is also a good practice as well," Goggin said in the meeting while describing the district’s current reserve practice.

Why it matters: Westlake has carried operating levies infrequently — the superintendent and treasurer said the district has not placed an operating levy since 2006 — and leaders said the cap would reduce the district’s ability to hold multi-year funds for planned capital work without going to the ballot. The board’s discussion emphasized that the bill’s effects will vary by district but said some districts could lose options to fund schools and face more frequent tax requests of residents.

Goggin told the board he and district staff had reviewed the bill’s many changes and believed some provisions would not affect Westlake immediately but could do so over several years. He urged the community to consider asking the governor for a line-item veto of the carryover cap, saying the district and its state advocates would seek relief if possible.

Hopkins, the district treasurer, framed the change as a loss of flexibility for a district that has used planned carryovers to finance projects such as turf fields and building vestibules. "This is going to take away some local control and the flexibility for school districts to be open and honest with their public," Hopkins said, urging vigilance as the district completes its year-end budgeting.

Board members raised operational questions tied to other parts of the bill, including proposed changes to school board elections and a cell-phone ban during instructional time. The superintendent and treasurer said the district is tracking how definitions in the bill (for example, what counts as "instructional time") will affect local policy and implementation and that administrators are preparing options for buildings with different schedules.

The board did not take formal action at the meeting on the bill itself; discussion focused on assessing immediate budget steps and asking staff to prepare recommendations for the coming months. Members said they will continue to work with local legislators and statewide advocacy groups to seek clarifications or changes.

The board scheduled further staff work on how the bill’s carryover cap will affect Westlake’s capital plan and potential timing for tax measures.

Ending: Board members said the district will continue monitoring implementation and legislative follow-up and will bring specific policy or appropriation recommendations back to the board when needed.