Canton Local treasurer: local taxes up, foundation revenues down; board readies messaging for Nov. 4 levy as House Bill 186 raises funding concerns

At the Oct. 20 meeting the district treasurer reported that local real-estate and public-utility tax collections were up by roughly $600,000 compared with the prior year, while foundation revenues were down by about $300,000. The treasurer said the state's share of education funding has declined statewide, increasing the burden on local taxpayers.

The district is running a renewal levy on the Nov. 4 ballot; administrators said communication efforts are underway (ParentSquare and social media) to explain the levy. The superintendent said on a $200,000 home a homeowner would save roughly $5 a month if the levy failed and noted that public-utility company savings cited by the district would be larger.

Officials also raised concerns about House Bill 186, which the superintendent said originally included a delayed implementation to allow districts to plan but now includes a retroactive provision that, as described at the meeting, could immediately cut an estimated $226 million from the state budget and severely impact the district if enacted in its current form. Staff reported they had met with state representative Matt Kishman and were monitoring developments.

The board did not take a formal vote on the levy funding, but directed communication efforts and emphasized the need for legislators to consider the bill's local impacts in the next biennial budget.