Monroe Local board backs county superintendentsletter, warns state property-tax changes could cut school revenue
Summary
Board members read and endorsed a letter from Butler County superintendents and treasurers warning that recently passed bills in Columbus could remove millions from local school funding; the district outlined the potential effect on inside millage and called for targeted reforms rather than blanket cuts.
The Monroe Local Schools Board of Education on Nov. 12 read and endorsed a letter from Butler County school superintendents and treasurers that described state funding shifts as the root cause of rising property-tax burdens and warned that recent bills in the Ohio Legislature could remove "millions of dollars" from local schools without replacement.
The letter, read at the meeting, said in part that "property taxes are the symptom, not the cause," and urged lawmakers to pursue "fair and responsible reform" that protects services for seniors, low-income families and people with disabilities while increasing state support for schools.
Board members and district leaders framed the message as a plea for accountability and transparency in how state funds are distributed. Treasurer Moore told the board the four recently passed house bills affecting property-tax calculations could allow reductions in inside millage and change the 20-mil floor calculation; early estimates discussed at the meeting suggested a potential reduction on the order of about 1.5 mills if valuations rise as projected.
Board members called the funding changes a serious threat to local budgets and services that depend on property-tax revenue, including schools, public safety and infrastructure. While members varied in tone, there was broad agreement that any reduction in local revenue should be accompanied by an explicit replacement of lost funds from the state.
The board did not take a new formal policy action at the meeting beyond endorsing the county letter, but members urged constituents to contact state lawmakers and stay engaged. The superintendent and treasurer said the district will continue to refine projections as the statelevel calculations are finalized.
What happens next: district officials said they will update trustees as the legislative impact calculations are completed and will include any necessary budget adjustments in future forecasts.
