Elyria City Schools to Pursue $9 Million in Cuts After Two Failed Levies; Board Pauses New Levy Push

Elyria City Schools officials told the school board on Nov. 19 that the district faces significant budget shortfalls after two failed levy efforts and a county decision that reduced local revenue, and that administrators will prepare roughly $9 million in spending reductions.

The presentation by district leaders followed public comment from Linda Aguinaga, president of the O'Leary Education Association, who urged the board to avoid staff cuts and press state lawmakers for funding. "We do not want to see any staff cuts. Not 1," Aguinaga said, arguing that the district’s fiscal strain is driven by a state funding model that has not kept pace with current costs.

District leadership told the board the combined effect of expiring one-time federal funds, reductions in state funding, two levy defeats in 2025 and a county homestead rollback left the district with an immediate revenue gap. The presenters said the homestead change cost the district about $1.5 million annually and that the earlier emergency-levy option is no longer available because of state changes (House Bill 96). As a result, officials said the district would need a larger fixed-millage levy — roughly 11.9 mills — to generate the same revenue the previously proposed emergency levy would have provided.

The treasurer’s office said the earlier 4.9-mill proposal would no longer be sufficient; officials gave a taxpayer example saying an 11.9-mill levy would raise the tax on a $100,000 home from about $14 per month under 4.9 mills to about $35 per month under 11.9 mills (estimates presented by district staff). Presenters also warned that even if the board pursues $9 million in reductions, the district may still need new operating revenue in future years.

Board members expressed concern that after two recent defeats and amid rising sensitivity to property taxes, asking voters for more than double the prior request so soon would likely fail. Multiple members said they prefer to develop and show a reduction plan to the community before pursuing another ballot measure. One district finance presenter summarized the near-term option: "For right now ... we're going to work to do a $9,000,000 reduction, and then that will come back in here and lay that out." The board signaled consensus to direct staff to produce reduction recommendations and to delay placing a new levy on the upcoming May ballot.

While the board stopped short of approving specific layoffs or program eliminations at the meeting, the presentation and public comment made clear that personnel costs — which the district estimates account for roughly 80% of the operating budget — are central to the reductions under consideration. Aguinaga told the board the Elyria Education Association asked the board to "advocate publicly and persistently with our state legislators" and to "exhaust every possible alternative, including retirements, attrition, restructuring, and long range financial planning before considering reductions in force."

Administratively, the board approved routine items during the meeting: minutes, the treasurer’s financial report for October (including reconciliations and investment reports), several contracts and home-instruction tutor rates, athletic tournament approvals, and personnel actions that included retirements and supplemental contracts. All procedural motions called during the meeting were approved by roll-call votes as recorded in the minutes.

Next steps: district staff will develop and present a detailed $9 million reduction plan to the board after the new year and the district encouraged community members to contact state legislators about updating the fair school funding formula. The board did not place a levy resolution on the calendar at the Nov. 19 meeting; district officials noted a December 10 deadline to file a resolution if the board wished to pursue a May ballot placement.