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School budgets

Fairfield City forecasts running short in FY2028

Fairfield City – 046102 (Butler) · Fiscal Year 2026 Required Update to Forecast

Submission date: 02/23/2026

Fairfield City’s own notes and assumptions for this forecast (PDF) →

Every Ohio school district files a budget forecast with the state: three years of actual figures, this year’s budget and the years ahead. On its own forecast, Fairfield City goes below zero in FY2028 if its current levies are renewed and no new one passes.

FY2027 fallfiled July–August 2026 FY2026 spring updatefiled February 2026
Cash, June 30, 2025
$44.5M

4.8 months of that year’s spending

Runs short
FY2028

on its own forecast, if its levies are renewed and no new one passes

New levy in the forecast
None

it counts no levy voters have not approved

Fairfield City Schools on the November 3, 2026 ballot

  1. Income tax, 1.25%

    New Schools

    Current expenses · 5 years · from Jan 1, 2027

    $125 a year for every $10,000 of income it taxes

    Paid by the people who live in the district, on their income; the ballot says whether on all of it or on earnings only.

How its earlier votes went: since March 17, 2020, voters have decided 2 Fairfield City Schools tax issues — 0 passed and 2 failed. Of the issues asking for new money, 0 of 2 passed.

Every tax issue on the ballot in Butler County →

Fairfield City: cash, unencumbered, unreserved — four different balances

The forecast has four balance lines, and each is the one before it with something taken away or added. They are easy to mix up, and they are not the same number.

Line ActualFY2025 BudgetFY2026 ForecastFY2029
07.020 Cash balance at June 30Everything in the general fund's account at the end of the year. 44,528,199 35,050,021 (26,242,959)
10.010 Unencumbered balanceWhat is free to spend. The state calls it the fund balance for certification of appropriations. 44,528,199 35,050,021 (26,242,959)
12.010 With renewalsThe balance if every renewal passes and nothing new does. 44,528,199 35,050,021 (26,242,959)
15.010 Unreserved fund balanceThe state's bottom line. In a forecast year it counts any new levy above as if it had passed. 44,528,199 35,050,021 (26,242,959)

Swipe sideways for more columns.

For past years the state asks for no renewal or new-levy money, so the unencumbered and unreserved balances are the same; cash is larger by what is already committed and set aside. In a forecast year the unreserved balance counts any new levy as if it had passed.

Fairfield City’s forecast, line by line

Each line as Fairfield City filed it with the state, in the state’s own format. Tap or hover over a line to see what it means.

Forecast line and description ActualFY2023 ActualFY2024 ActualFY2025 Current year budgetFY2026 Forecast year 1FY2027 Forecast year 2FY2028 Forecast year 3FY2029
01.010 General Property Tax (Real Estate)

Property tax on land and buildings — homes, farms and businesses — from levies voters have already approved.

 47,107,124 49,149,794 49,885,397 49,929,064 50,317,227 50,941,027 51,030,045
01.020 Tangible Personal Property Tax

Property tax on the equipment of utilities, such as power lines, pipelines and power plants.

 4,621,805 4,980,346 5,222,214 5,504,645 5,888,028 6,023,066 6,168,486
01.035 Unrestricted Grants-in-Aid

State aid the district may spend on anything — mostly Ohio's school funding formula.

 32,961,624 37,651,877 36,889,969 35,414,591 33,171,302 33,396,535 33,564,622
01.040 Restricted Grants-in-Aid

State aid that must be spent on set purposes, such as help for pupils from low-income families.

 3,064,577 4,370,310 4,103,630 3,558,559 3,367,712 3,185,157 3,036,392
01.050 State Reimbursement for Property Tax Credits

The part of homeowners' property tax the state pays for them: the 10% and 2.5% rollbacks and the homestead exemption.

 5,294,678 5,438,033 5,620,036 5,718,291 5,859,454 5,962,515 5,969,477
01.060 All Other Operating Revenue

Everything else that comes in: fees, tuition from other districts, interest, rentals and gifts.

 6,590,298 9,319,094 11,039,663 9,684,331 9,570,749 9,477,184 9,401,888
01.070 Total Revenue

All of the revenue above, added together.

 99,640,106 110,909,455 112,760,909 109,809,481 108,174,472 108,985,484 109,170,910
02.040 Operating Transfers-In

Money moved into the general fund from the district's other funds.

 314,078 355,981 764,465 354,305 354,305 354,305 354,305
02.050 Advances-In

Money the general fund lent to the district's other funds, coming back.

 4,037,348 3,455,800 4,841,008 1,601,908 3,200,000 3,200,000 3,200,000
02.060 All Other Financing Sources

One-off money, such as refunds of past spending or the sale of property.

 0 (3,867) 0 0 0 0 0
02.070 Total Other Financing Sources

All of the other money coming in, lines 2.010 to 2.060, added together.

 4,351,426 3,807,915 5,605,474 1,956,213 3,554,305 3,554,305 3,554,305
02.080 Total Revenue and Other Financing Sources

Everything coming in for the year: revenue plus other money coming in.

 103,991,532 114,717,370 118,366,383 111,765,695 111,728,777 112,539,789 112,725,216
03.010 Personal Services - Employee Salaries & Wages

Salaries and wages for teachers and every other employee.

 65,586,908 63,969,488 65,565,310 68,493,949 71,463,544 73,959,121 76,446,575
03.020 Employees' Retirement and Insurance Benefits

The district's share of staff pensions (STRS and SERS), health insurance, Medicare and workers' compensation.

 21,530,680 22,136,675 23,592,101 25,169,542 27,040,897 28,971,098 31,051,440
03.030 Purchased Services

Services bought from outside: utilities, repairs, contracted services and tuition paid for pupils taught elsewhere.

 14,070,561 15,581,963 14,843,614 15,936,927 16,376,224 16,829,328 17,296,675
03.040 Supplies and Materials

Textbooks, classroom supplies, fuel, food and other things the district buys.

 3,980,846 3,678,735 4,574,498 4,191,938 4,317,696 4,447,227 4,580,644
03.050 Capital Outlay

Equipment, buses and building improvements paid for from the general fund.

 2,221,347 2,264,207 1,139,668 2,780,000 3,780,000 3,780,000 3,780,000
04.300 Other Objects

Other costs, such as the county's fees for collecting its taxes, audits, elections, insurance and memberships.

 753,872 812,577 734,547 846,817 863,550 880,618 898,028
04.500 Total Expenditures

Everything the district spends in the year, lines 3.010 to 4.300, added together.

 108,144,214 108,443,645 110,449,738 117,419,173 123,841,911 128,867,392 134,053,361
05.010 Operational Transfers-Out

Money moved out of the general fund to the district's other funds, such as food service or athletics.

 623,281 648,980 8,286,395 614,699 614,699 614,699 614,699
05.020 Advances-Out

Money the general fund lends to the district's other funds for a while.

 3,402,049 5,096,459 1,601,908 3,210,000 3,220,000 3,230,000 3,230,000
05.040 Total Other Financing Uses

All of the other money going out, lines 5.010 to 5.030, added together.

 4,025,330 5,745,438 9,888,303 3,824,699 3,834,699 3,844,699 3,844,699
05.050 Total Expenditures and Other Financing Uses

Everything going out for the year: spending plus other money going out.

 112,169,544 114,189,083 120,338,042 121,243,872 127,676,611 132,712,092 137,898,060
06.010 Excess Of Revenues and Other Financing Sources over (under) Expenditures and Other Financing Uses

The year's result: money in minus money out. A number in brackets means the district spent more than it took in.

 (8,178,012) 528,287 (1,971,659) (9,478,178) (15,947,833) (20,172,302) (25,172,844)
07.010 Beginning Cash Balance July 1 - Excluding Proposed Renewal/Replacement and New Levies

Cash in the general fund on July 1, the start of the school year — last year's ending cash.

 54,149,583 45,971,571 46,499,857 44,528,199 35,050,021 19,102,187 (1,070,115)
07.020 Ending Cash Balance June 30 - Excluding Proposed Renewal/Replacement and New Levies

Cash on June 30, the end of the year: the starting cash plus the year's result, before any renewal or new levy.

 45,971,571 46,499,857 44,528,199 35,050,021 19,102,187 (1,070,115) (26,242,959)
08.010 Estimated Encumbrances June 30

Money already committed: purchase orders and contracts signed but not yet paid.

 4,861,385 3,600,719 0 0 0 0 0
09.045 Fiscal Stabilization

Money set aside to steady the budget over future years.

 0 0 0 1 2 3 4
10.010 Fund Balance June 30 For Certification of Appropriations

What is free to spend: the ending cash less money already committed and money set aside — often called the unencumbered balance.

 41,110,185 42,899,139 44,528,199 35,050,021 19,102,187 (1,070,115) (26,242,959)
11.010 Income Tax - Renewal

An existing income tax the district expects voters to renew. Not yet voted on.

 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11.020 Property Tax - Renewal or Replacement

Existing property tax levies the district expects voters to renew or replace. Not yet voted on.

 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11.300 Cumulative Balance of Replacement/Renewal Levies

The renewals above, added up year after year.

 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12.010 Fund Balance June 30 For Certificates of Contracts Salary Schedules, and Other Obligations

The balance if every renewal passes and nothing new does.

 41,110,185 42,899,139 44,528,199 35,050,021 19,102,187 (1,070,115) (26,242,959)
13.010 Income Tax - New

A new income tax the district has written into its forecast. Not yet voted on.

 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13.020 Property Tax - New

A new property tax levy the district has written into its forecast. Not yet voted on.

 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13.030 Cumulative Balance of New Levies

The new levies above, added up year after year.

 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
15.010 Unreserved Fund Balance June 30

The state's bottom line: the balance with renewals and new levies counted as if voters approve them.

 41,110,185 42,899,139 44,528,199 35,050,021 19,102,187 (1,070,115) (26,242,959)
20.010 Kindergarten - October count

Kindergarten pupils enrolled, counted each October.

 714 780 788 317 597 599 593
20.015 Grades 1-12 - October count

Pupils in grades 1 to 12, counted each October.

 8,054 7,906 7,705 8,176 7,732 7,619 7,513

Swipe sideways for more columns.

Dollars, except the two enrolment lines (20.010 and 20.015), which are pupils. A line that is zero in every year is left out, as the state’s report leaves it out — except the renewal and new-levy lines (11 and 13), which are always shown, because a zero there is the answer.

Fairfield City’s levies, spending and test scores →

Another county or district

From the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s bulk forecast files — the filings its Forecast Submissions report shows one district at a time, to the dollar. A county’s figures are the traditional districts the state files under it, added together; Ohio’s are all of them. Each district writes its own forecast, and nothing here is estimated. The 49 career centers file their own forecasts and are listed under their home county, but are in no total: each serves several counties.