Akron school leaders warn levy failure would trigger steep deficits in five-year forecast

The Akron Public School Board on Nov. 4 received a five-year budget forecast showing escalating deficits unless a levy passes, a presentation that board members said underscores why they will ask voters to approve a tax measure.

Treasurer Doctor Thompson told the board the district modeled two scenarios — continued operations without a levy and operations with levy passage — and said the no-levy scenario produces growing shortfalls. "You can see that we're projecting to end the year with a $106,000,000," Thompson said, and then outlined projected deficits for later years.

The forecast attributes the gap to flat revenue under Ohio's House Bill 920, declining enrollment, and rising expenditures, including personnel costs. Thompson said roughly 58% of revenue comes from state and federal sources, about 37% from local taxes and roughly 5% from other sources, and highlighted that personnel costs account for the majority of spending.

Several board members urged the administration to show specific cuts before asking taxpayers to raise millage. Member Sykes said the district must "show the cuts that we could make" before seeking voter support and warned that voters expect transparency about reductions and alternatives. Reverend Harrison and others stressed the scale of services — the district feeds roughly 14,500 lunches and transports more than 13,000 students daily — as part of their argument for maintaining core programs.

The presentation also included grant awards and program investments that administrators said they will continue to pursue, and the superintendent and treasurer said some short-term reductions remain under consideration and will be reflected in committee updates. The board did not take final action on budget policy at the meeting; the treasurer asked members to attend the finance committee meeting on Nov. 19 for updated forecasts.