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Berkshire Local asks state tax office to certify 0.625% earned-income tax as board weighs levy and county piggyback
Summary
Facing timeline constraints and uncertain county action, the Berkshire Local board voted to request a Department of Taxation certification for a 0.625% earned-income tax so it can meet ballot deadlines; trustees said the final ballot amount will be set in July.
The Berkshire Local school board voted to request a certification from the Ohio Department of Taxation for a 0.625% earned-income tax rate so the district can meet timelines for placing a levy on the November ballot.
Board members said they still lacked calculations from county auditors after changes under House Bill 186 and that the district faces about $3.2 million in projected losses over three years. Trustees also noted the county commissioners are considering a "piggyback" that could reduce district revenue by roughly $400,000 (about $200,000 in the next fiscal year). To avoid missing the ballot deadline, the board asked Superintendent John (at the board's request) to seek tax-certification now; the board will set the final amount in July once the additional figures arrive.
A trustee emphasized the timeline risk: if the board misses the Aug. 5 filing window it cannot place the levy on the November ballot and would face severe cuts. Another trustee noted Ohio had exceeded revenue projections this fiscal year by about $1.5 billion and suggested state-level action could mitigate local shortfalls, but the board's immediate step was to secure the tax certification so the district can preserve the option to place a levy before the ballot deadline.
The motion to request certification passed on a roll-call vote.
