Board hears legislative briefing on new property-tax bills and a simulation of local revenue losses
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Summary
Board members described four bills passed overnight aimed at property-tax relief; staff presented an LSC simulation showing Ross Local Schools could lose nearly $1 million in tax revenue in the first affected year and roughly $6.2 million cumulatively over two tax years under the proposed changes.
Board financial staff told the Ross Local School District board that a set of four state bills passed overnight will reduce property-tax revenue available to many Ohio school districts if signed into law.
The board highlighted House Bill 186 and related measures as creating an "inflationary cap" on property valuation increases that would limit how much property-tax revenue districts can realize when residential values rise. "This bill essentially prevents that [valuation increase] from ever happening again," the presenter said, citing a state LSC (Legislative Service Commission) simulation prepared after the bills passed the Senate.
Using the simulation, the presenter said Ross Local Schools would see a reduction in property-tax revenue: a $132.21 annual property-tax savings for taxpayers per $100,000 of home value, and an immediate revenue loss approaching $1 million for tax year 2026 in the district's simulation. The speaker characterized the two-year cumulative simulation for tax years 2627 as roughly $6.2 million in lost revenue compared with the prior projection.
Officials emphasized that the bills still require passage by the House (if not already passed) and the governor's signature to become law; they also noted the simulation is illustrative rather than final. "This is a simulation. These are not exact numbers," the presenter said, and that the bills still must be enacted and implemented. Board members asked whether the reduced revenue would be shifted within the state's educational funding structure or returned to taxpayers; the response was that the relief is refunded to taxpayers, and the district would see a reduction in collected property-tax dollars.
Board members discussed implications for future budgets and noted other districts (Hamilton cited) already responding with cuts; one member said Butler County districts on the 20-mill floor will be particularly affected. Officials asked staff to re-run forecasts and prepare budget adjustments as needed.