Perrysburg forecast shows roughly $11 million swing after state tax changes, treasurer warns

Treasurer Randy Dreier told the Perrysburg Board of Education that the district's five-year forecast has moved by about $11,000,000 since the October projection, a change he tied to recent state legislation.

"That $11,000,000 shift is due to the bills that the governor signed in December," Dreier said, framing the change as mostly tied to property-tax calculation changes contained in several House bills.

Why it matters: Dreier said the district has seen a seasonal cash balance decline "of about $7,000,000" between July and January and that the February payroll will reduce available cash by another roughly $5,000,000. He said the district is operating with normal year‑end seasonality but is watching timing of tax advances closely.

Dreier estimated the district could "lose $2,000,000 in revenue for property tax" because of the changes and noted the state plans to provide a taxpayer credit and partial reimbursement; he described the credit total across taxpayers as "almost 2,000,000." He emphasized that these figures are estimates and conditional on a number of state-calculation inputs, including the inflation/valuation number the county auditor must receive from the state.

On expenditures, Dreier built a conservative $175,000 increase into the forecast to reflect likely personnel needs, including a potential part-time occupational therapist and shifts in federal grant funding. He said a projected reduction in IDEA (special education) grant funds may require moving one position from grant-based pay to the general fund.

Dreier also urged the board to consider long-term capital and funding strategies. He described using the Permanent Improvement (PI) fund for lease purchases and capital work as a way to relieve pressure on the general fund, estimating that $1,000,000 to $3,000,000 of capital needs could be shifted to PI dollars if the community supported that approach.

On state funding context, Dreier explained that several bills (referenced in his presentation) change the growth calculations for inside and outside millage and add fixed-sum levies into the floor calculation, which together reduce the district's capacity for revenue growth under current formulas.

Board action and next steps: The board discussed the forecast and asked questions about assumptions and inflation numbers. Dreier said the forecast will be updated in March to reflect new data and that the district will continue to monitor tax collections and potential state reimbursements. Later in the agenda the board voted to approve agenda items 8.2–8.3 by roll call.

Dreier closed by urging the board to prioritize hiring the next district leader so the superintendent-elect can participate in long-term planning and forecasting work.

Votes at a glance: - Motion to approve agenda items 8.2–8.3: carried (roll-call votes recorded in the meeting minutes). - Motion to move into executive session for personnel matters: carried (roll-call votes recorded).