Big Walnut officials warn proposed Ohio tax changes could cut district $8.1 million

Big Walnut Local School District officials told the school board on June 16 that proposed changes in the Ohio Legislature could sharply reduce the district’s property-tax revenue and force new local levies.

Interim Treasurer/CFO Jace Alcoutin submitted written testimony to the Ohio House Ways and Means Committee outlining concerns about House Bill 335 and related proposals and saying, “If the inside millage goes away, we'll lose $8,100,000.” He described the package of bills as “the most comprehensive changes to Ohio's property tax system in nearly 50 years” and urged lawmakers to reject provisions that he said would shift revenue burdens to residential taxpayers and penalize districts that maintain reserves.

Why it matters: Big Walnut depends heavily on local revenue. Alcoutin’s testimony summarized the district’s FY2025 revenue mix and warned that eliminating inside millage or imposing…