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Ashland City Schools warns property‑tax repeal would sharply cut district funding
Summary
Superintendent Steve Paramore and staff told the board that state funding for schools is falling, voucher spending is rising, and a proposed property‑tax referendum could put local levies and services at risk, possibly reducing district revenue by roughly 60% in a severe scenario.
At the Nov. 24 board meeting, Ashland City Schools leaders outlined a bleak fiscal picture if proposed changes to Ohio property tax take effect, urging community awareness and ongoing engagement with state officials.
Superintendent Steve Paramore reviewed recent levy results and state funding trends, saying the district’s recent PI levy renewal passed with strong community support at 71.2%. He cited state funding statistics that, as presented, show the state's share of foundation funding falling from 41.6% in fiscal 2022 to a projected 32.2% in fiscal 2027. "Over the next three years, the base cost of educating a child will stay the same with no reflection on inflation," Paramore said, arguing that local levies are increasingly necessary to maintain services.
Paramore and Treasurer‑level staff highlighted the growth in voucher spending (EdChoice), reporting a $327,100,000 figure for a cited biennial period and saying voucher funding has exceeded $1,000,000,000 over the last two years. They warned that a statewide repeal or abolition of property tax—Ohio property tax was described as generating about $24,000,000,000 annually—would remove revenue that supports schools and many local services. "If property tax would be abolished...to the tune of $20,000,000," Paramore said, adding that “that’s roughly 60% of our revenue for the district” in a worst‑case scenario discussed during the meeting.
The board also discussed House Bill 96, which the presenters said allows counties to 'piggyback' state exemptions (a 2.5% owner‑occupancy exemption and homestead exemptions for seniors and veterans); the presenters noted that Richland County enacted the 2.5% exemption and that the resulting impact on local school district revenues varies by county. They said Ashland City Schools would lose about $600,000 annually if that state‑level exemption applied to their district, with the local county action accounting for approximately a $240 reduction to a narrow subset of property owners in Ashland City Schools' tax base.
What happens next: Paramore said district leaders will continue outreach to state legislators and the county budget commission to explain the local funding needs and pursue mitigation; no formal board action was taken Nov. 24.
