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Perrysburg Exempted Village reviews five-year forecast, weighs levy options as state tax bills loom
Summary
District finance staff told the school board the five-year forecast shows improved near-term cash but projected deficits in later years; the board discussed levy timing, planned $6 million in reductions, and steps to expand community engagement amid possible state-level property tax changes.
Perrysburg Exempted Village School District staff told the board the district's five-year forecast shows better cash balances this year and next but projects deficits later in the period, prompting discussion of whether and when to seek an operating levy.
The forecast presentation, given by a district staff member, said the district began the year with about $25 million in cash and now expects to end the fiscal year roughly $2 million higher than in November’s projection. The presenter said the district could be “out of money in FY ’27” under some scenarios and later described fiscal year 2027 as the point of greatest near-term risk if state actions reduce local property tax revenue.
The forecast and board discussion focused on three immediate risks: (1) the effect of pending state legislation that could limit or reduce property-tax growth, including references to Senate Bill 66 and several House bills; (2) the district’s $6 million spending-reduction plan implemented after a levy rejection last November; and (3) alternatives for a future operating levy, including delaying a request or proposing a smaller amount.
On the first point, the staff member explained that certain bills under consideration at the state level could cut local property-tax revenue. Using the district's baseline forecast, the presenter said Senate Bill 66 would reduce the district’s property-tax revenue by about $5 million across three years and produce nearly $2 million less in tax receipts in fiscal years 2028 and 2029 compared with the current forecast.
On reductions and operations, the presenter reiterated that the roughly $6 million in reductions already adopted are reflected in the forecast and warned the board that the forecasted improvement does not include restoration of eliminated programs or staff. “There’s no restoration in these numbers,” the presenter said, referring to programs cut in the reduction plan.
Board members and staff discussed levy sizing and timing. The presenter said the district could postpone asking voters or propose a smaller levy than the $13.5 million scenario that had been modeled; a smaller levy would preserve some flexibility while keeping options open for another attempt. The presenter recommended the board rehearse “what-if” levy scenarios in anticipation of changing state budget actions and expected to return with an updated forecast in June if statewide developments materially altered the district’s assumptions.
School leaders also reviewed expense drivers and how cuts affected the district. Staff noted salaries and benefits are the largest expense categories (with roughly 75 percent of personnel costs tied directly to student-facing positions) and described inflationary assumptions for health insurance and retirement contributions in the forecast. The presenter said some savings come from not refilling positions after reductions, redistricting, and replacing diesel buses with propane models, which reduced anticipated fuel and maintenance costs.
The board discussed the district’s cash-balance target and how much reserve to hold if a future board must manage another levy failure. The presenter said the district currently projects about 45 days of cash on hand in fiscal year 2027 under the baseline forecast and warned that later years would be tighter without additional revenue or program changes.
Separately, board members reviewed community engagement measures tied to fiscal planning. The board is forming a communications task force and considered a short-term advisory group to solicit public input on priorities and levy choices. Staff reported 16 applications for the communications task force and said the goal is a representative advisory body that would interface primarily with the superintendent and staff, with some board engagement.
The meeting ended with direction to continue scenario planning, share notes from recent community-engagement meetings with board members, and return to the board with updated forecasts and options if state actions change the district’s revenue outlook.
