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Twinsburg board adopts updated five‑year forecast, warns of multi‑year deficits and eyes levy
Summary
The Twinsburg Board of Education unanimously adopted a revised five‑year financial forecast after a treasurer’s presentation that warned of growing deficits in fiscal years 2029–2030 and outlined legislative risks tied to recent House bills; trustees approved the forecast 5–0 and discussed an earned income tax question for the May ballot.
The Twinsburg Board of Education voted unanimously to adopt an updated five‑year financial forecast after hearing a detailed presentation from the district treasurer on the district’s revenue outlook and spending pressures.
“The 5 year forecast is a central management tool,” the treasurer said during the presentation, outlining how recent changes in state law and local revenue assumptions were reflected in the district’s submission. The board moved to adopt the forecast (moved by Miss Hamilton; seconded by Missus Travis) and recorded five yes votes: Miss Hamilton, Missus Travis, Missus Rosch, Missus Egan and Missus Crawford.
Board President Crawford, in her opening report, said the district had recently improved its cash position and framed the forecast adoption as part of ongoing fiscal work. “We were able to move that, from a negative $7,000 to a positive balance for over $4,000,000,” she said, and added the board still expects operating deficits in fiscal years 2028–2030 and therefore continues to view an operational levy as necessary.
Treasurer (name not specified) walked trustees through key drivers: roughly 82.5% of district expenses are wages and benefits; revenues come primarily from local property taxes with about 18.12% from the state in the current model; and several recently enacted or pending state measures (identified in the presentation as House Bills 129, 186, 309 and 335, and earlier HB 96) could alter local collections or levy renewal options. The treasurer noted that some statutory changes take effect on staggered timelines that will outpace the forecast submission deadlines and that precise state tax‑commission figures are not expected until April.
The presentation included projection details and stress points: if two expiring levies are removed from the legal forecast, the treasurer showed a $4.9 million deficit in fiscal year 2029 and a more than $20 million deficit in fiscal year 2030; those figures assume the levies do not pass and reflect legally required removals from the forecast document. The treasurer also described a board‑approved interim cost‑reduction plan that counts on attrition to remove 8.5 positions and on additional targeted reductions of 11 positions in later years.
Trustees asked clarifying questions about electricity and other rising purchase‑service costs; the treasurer said an electric capacity charge increase of about 20% is included for the current fiscal year but noted some monthly bills appear higher than expected and staff will continue to analyze mitigation options.
The board’s formal adoption triggers the forecast submission required by law (the presentation cited ORC provisions referenced in the agenda). Next steps noted in the meeting: continued work by the finance committee on cost reductions, additional public communications about a proposed earned income tax to appear on the May ballot, and community stakeholder outreach as the district proceeds with hiring a permanent superintendent.
