After Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed a proposal that school officials say would be devastating to their finances, districts say they are continuing to pressure state lawmakers to not override the veto.
On July 1, DeWine vetoed several property tax measures in the budget passed by the GOP-controlled Legislature, saying too many changes at once would hurt school districts. The move came as frustrated Ohioans push for a constitutional amendment to eliminate property taxes, which have risen with home values in recent years.
The provisions that DeWine vetoed allowed counties to reduce property taxes in school districts that carry cash balances that are more than 40% of their budget from the previous year and authorized county budget commissions to reduce millage on levies if they believe tax collections are excessive or unnecessary.
School district treasurers have fought the move, some calling it a “disaster” for public school finances.
Some state lawmakers have suggested the possibility of overriding DeWine’s veto and restore the measure. The House and Senate must agree to the override with at least a three-fifths vote, and Republicans have supermajorities in both chambers that could override his veto if members agree.
Amid the possibility of an override, Ohio public school officials say they will continue advocating against the proposal.
David Hile, superintendent at Vermillion Local Schools in Erie and Lorain counties, said he was grateful for DeWine’s veto. Some state lawmakers who pushed for the cap didn’t understand how schools used their cash balances, he said.
“I guess all it proves is that there’s a lot of politicians in Columbus that just don’t understand school finances,” Hile said.
‘You can’t rest or relax’
Hile said school officials “can’t rest or relax” after the governor vetoed the legislation, considering the possibility of an override.
“Now we have to worry about the override, so you need to contact your legislators and ask them not to do that,” Hile said. “That never stops.”
State advocacy organizations have also pointed toward the need to continue lobbying against the limit on cash balances. Nicole Piscitani, deputy director of legislative services for the Ohio School Boards Association, said the OSBA will continue working to educate members about what the state budget and vetoed proposal means for their districts.
“The money is meant for students — we want to ensure that they have the resources they need,” Piscitani said.
Piscitani also said that the OSBA “is committed to thoughtful and targeted property tax reform.”
“Our members hear the concerns of constituents just like the Legislature,” Piscitani said. “However, we have to stay focused on ensuring that students receive the resources they need, because at the end of the day, it is really about students.”
Athens City Schools Superintendent Chad Springer said he was grateful to DeWine for vetoing the proposal but also for the state lawmakers in the area who have listened to public school concerns about the cash balance proposal. The Athens City School district is represented in the Statehouse by Rep. Ty Moore, R-Caldwell, Rep. Kevin Ritter, R-Washington County, and Sen. Brian Chavez, R-Marietta.
Springer said Athens City Schools has been working with the OSBA and the Coalition of Appalachian Regional Schools to advocate against the proposal.
“If you look at our demographics and the percentage of our our students that attend public schools, it’s overwhelming,” Springer said.
South Western City Schools spokesperson Evan Debo said DeWine’s veto created a budget that “honors tax reform efforts, while also protecting financial safeguards vital to student success.” But he acknowledged the fight isn’t over.
“While the possibility remains that the Legislature can override this line-item veto,” Debo said, “we are reminded that continued advocacy for state funding is necessary to uphold the governor’s action.”
Melanie Amato, spokesperson for Westerville City Schools, said the district is “optimistic and grateful for all of the vetoes that protect critical funding for Ohio’s public schools.”
“From the very start of the budget process, we worked to engage our community, board members, and advocates to share what was at stake,” Amato said. “The advocacy work is not over, but we appreciate the governor’s commitment to Ohio’s children.”
Will state legislators pursue a veto override?
Rep. David Thomas, R-Jefferson, said he plans to advocate for a veto override on the property tax measures.
“I think this is a huge mistake,” Thomas said. “It fuels the flames of our taxpayers believing that Columbus isn’t listening.”
Sen. Andrew Brenner, D-Delaware, however, said it was not immediately clear whether the Senate Republican caucus would pursue a veto. He also pointed to disagreements over the size of any cap and the governor’s remarks about his veto.
“I think it seems to be, based on the governor’s veto message, that he wanted something phased in a little more,” Brenner said. “That’s something we should consider and make adjustments as need be.”
USA Today Ohio Statehouse Bureau reporter Haley Bemiller contributed to this report.
Cole Behrens covers K-12 education and school districts in central Ohio. Have a tip? Contact Cole at cbehrens@dispatch.com or connect with him on X at @Colebehr_report
(This story was updated to add a photo gallery.)
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: ‘Can’t rest or relax:’ Ohio schools say fight isn’t over on cash balance after veto
Reporting by Cole Behrens, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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