Tallmadge City board asks state tax commissioner to certify revenue options as district weighs May levy
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Summary
The Tallmadge City Board of Education voted to ask the state tax commissioner to calculate how much revenue the district could raise under earned-income or property-tax options as it considers a May 2026 levy to close an estimated multimillion-dollar budget gap. Administration warned cuts —including major reductions to busing—if new revenue is not approved.
On Dec. 20, 2025, the Tallmadge City Board of Education voted to ask the state tax commissioner to certify how much revenue could be generated by different local-tax options as the district weighs placing a levy on the May 2026 ballot.
The resolution the board approved requests a state certification that would show, for the district's stated funding gap, what levels of an earned-income tax, a full income tax or a property-tax levy would yield. "We are running out of money," said Mr. Wood, a central-office administrator, describing the district's fiscal reality and urging the board to move quickly to get accurate figures. Treasurer Hostetler explained the two-step process: pass a resolution of necessity to get state estimates, then, if the board chooses, pass a second resolution specifying rate and duration.
Why it matters: administration and the treasurer said Tallmadge's share of state funding has fallen sharply in recent years and is projected to decline again as property valuations rose, shrinking the district's state-percentage share. Officials said the district faces a multimillion-dollar shortfall that will require either new local revenue or reductions in services. "State minimum busing would eliminate high-school busing altogether," Mr. Wood warned, saying the district is prepared to recommend reductions that could include bus-route cuts and further staffing changes if a levy is not approved.
What the board decided: board members debated earned-income versus property-tax options, noting local politics and a statewide proposal to reduce or eliminate property taxes could complicate a property-levy strategy. After discussion the board voted to pass the resolution asking the state tax commissioner to produce estimates; the motion passed with affirmative votes from members present.
Next steps and deadlines: treasurer Hostetler told the board the state and county timelines are tight: property-levy procedures generally require materials be filed about 90 days before an election; for earned-income options, the board must follow the state-tax-commission timeline (members discussed January filing windows). The board directed staff to prepare a public-facing reduction plan and to begin community outreach during January.
Votes at a glance: the board also approved routine business during the meeting, including prior meeting minutes, appointment of Mister Pasarelli as president pro tempore, acceptance of the November financial reports, approval of personnel items, and the first reading of the 2026'27 school calendar. Those measures were approved by the board in separate votes during the same session.
Administration emphasized the resolution does not place any particular tax on the ballot; it asks only for certified estimates so the board can decide between options in January and, if it chooses, bring a specific levy forward for a May referendum. The treasurer said the certification typically returns numbers within a few days to 10 days after submission.