Perrysburg board weighs November levy as lawmakers consider property-tax reforms that could cut millions

Trustees of the Perrysburg Exempted Village Board of Education devoted extensive discussion at their June 16 meeting to a possible November levy and the uncertainty created by pending state legislation that could change how local property tax millage is collected.

Treasurer Mr. Drewer told the board the district is projecting to end the fiscal year “slightly better than expected,” but emphasized continuing revenue pressure from a failed November levy and rising costs. He offered the board multiple forecast scenarios the district had used in May and said the most likely local ask had been a 7.84-mill levy presented to trustees earlier in the spring.

Superintendent Tom Hassler and finance staff warned that proposed changes at the state level — discussed in conference committee and variously labeled in the meeting as Senate Bill 66, House Bill 96 and a late-filed package dubbed "House Bill 335" in public discussion — could eliminate counties’ so-called “inside millage.” Perrysburg officials said inside millage contributes roughly 4.8 mills to the district (4.3 general-fund mills plus 0.5 for technology in their description) and that removing the inside mills would reduce Perrysburg’s revenue by an estimated $3.1 million in the first year of impact and about $6.4 million in the fuller impact year the presenters used in forecasts. Hassler added the district’s technology half-mill raises roughly $700,000 annually and would be affected in some scenarios, pushing the potential local impact to about $7 million.

Officials described the real-world consequences of a multi-million-dollar cut: the district’s earlier balancing actions already required personnel reductions and program changes, and further cuts at the scale discussed would likely require eliminating dozens of certified positions. "There you go. A 75 to a 100 certified staff members," one trustee noted during discussion while reviewing hypothetical reduction lists presented earlier in finance committee. The board and finance staff also discussed true-cash-day metrics used to measure district liquidity; under the 7.84-mill scenario trustees would see 44 true-cash days in one forecast versus the board policy target of 60 days.

Trustees and staff also discussed replacement options that have been proposed in Columbus, including converting to an earned-income (local income) tax or new fixed levies. Presenters cautioned that switching revenue sources changes tax incidence — local property owners currently pay a large share of Perrysburg’s property tax base — and that any replacement mechanism would need to be carefully designed and would likely take more than one year to implement.

Given late-breaking state activity and the need for more precise modeling after conference committee decisions, the board agreed to schedule a special meeting on Monday, July 7, 2025 to revisit levy timing, duration and amount. No levy resolution was adopted at the June meeting. The board’s finance committee materials and forecast scenarios remain available to trustees as they prepare for the July meeting.

Trustees urged residents to contact their state legislators about the potential statewide reforms. No formal vote was taken on a November levy at the June 16 meeting; administrators said they will update financial forecasts after any state action and return to the board in early July.