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Treasurer warns proposed property-tax ban could remove majority of Olentangy operating revenue
Summary
Treasurer told the board that while a county auditor headline showed property taxes fund ~40% of the district’s total budget, an alternative lens focusing on operating funds indicates property taxes account for about 75.29% of core revenues; he warned a constitutional amendment abolishing property taxes would jeopardize district operations.
The Olentangy Local School District’s treasurer presented a preliminary FY27 general fund outlook on May 7 and cautioned that a proposed constitutional amendment to abolish property taxes would have a major impact on the district.
The treasurer explained why a widely circulated county-auditor figure—about 40% of the district’s total budget funded by property taxes—can be misleading for Olentangy. That percentage divides forecasted tax receipts by the district’s total budget, which this year includes large one-time bond refunding and capital appropriations. When focusing on the district’s core funds (general fund, debt service and permanent improvements) the treasurer showed a figure of roughly 75.29% of operating revenue tied to property taxes.
He told the board that the difference is important context if voters are weighing a constitutional amendment promoted by a campaign referenced in the meeting as ACTS Ohio, which seeks to eliminate property taxes. "Were that to happen, I’m not sure how Olentangy Schools operates when 75.29% of its revenues as a portion of its total budget are gone," the treasurer said.
Board members discussed state-level solutions such as full implementation of the Fair School Funding formula and possible local revenue diversification (local sales tax) as ways to reduce property tax pressure. The treasurer noted budget drivers for FY27 include salary and benefit growth tied to enrollment and higher utilities and purchased services, particularly for special education placements and county service center costs.
The presentation included a link to building-level FY27 appropriations for public review and flagged that formal appropriation measures will follow in the June process.
