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School budgets

Lakota Local forecasts no shortfall through FY2029

Lakota Local – 046110 (Butler) · Fiscal Year 2026 Required Update to Forecast

Submission date: 02/24/2026

Lakota Local’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, Lakota Local stays above zero through FY2029 if its current levies are renewed and no new one passes. It has written in a new property tax levy from FY2029 — $11,315,559 in FY2029 — that voters have not approved.

FY2027 fallfiled July–August 2026 FY2026 spring updatefiled February 2026
Cash, June 30, 2025
$63.5M

3.5 months of that year’s spending

Runs short
Not by FY2029

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

New levy in the forecast
Property tax

from FY2029, not yet approved by voters

Lakota Local Schools on the November 3, 2026 ballot

  1. Bond, $223.5 million

    New School buildings

    Renovate, improve & construct school facilities · 37 years · from 2028

    $77 a year for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s value

    The county auditor’s estimate, as the district states it: 2.2 mills a year on average over the life of the bond. Source: Lakota Local Schools.

    For a home the county values at $300,000: $231 a year $400,000: $308 a year $500,000: $385 a year

    Borrows $223.5 million over 37 years, repaid by a property tax levy. Its rate is set each year to meet that year’s payments, so it moves around the estimate, and like any levy approved now it carries none of the state’s rollback credits. Your home’s county value is on your tax bill.

    Lakota Local Schools says it would start collecting in 2029, when its current bonds are paid off, so it does not expect its bond tax rate to rise. Source: Lakota Local Schools.

    Building money: kept outside the general fund, so a budget forecast never shows it.

How its earlier votes went: since March 17, 2020, voters have decided 1 Lakota Local Schools tax issue — 0 passed and 1 failed. Of the issues asking for new money, 0 of 1 passed.

Every tax issue on the ballot in Butler County →

Lakota Local: 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. 63,547,141 46,837,042 6,311,997
08.010 Already committedEncumbrances: purchase orders and contracts signed, not yet paid. − 456,277 − 500,000 − 500,000
10.010 Unencumbered balanceWhat is free to spend. The state calls it the fund balance for certification of appropriations. 63,090,864 46,337,042 5,811,997
12.010 With renewalsThe balance if every renewal passes and nothing new does. 63,090,864 46,337,042 5,811,997
13.030 New leviesLevies the district has written into its forecast. Not yet voted on. + 0 + 0 + 11,315,559
15.010 Unreserved fund balanceThe state's bottom line. In a forecast year it counts any new levy above as if it had passed. 63,090,864 46,337,042 17,127,556

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.

Lakota Local’s forecast, line by line

Each line as Lakota Local 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.

 102,849,758 107,848,475 113,743,105 115,389,926 118,830,607 122,271,552 124,116,721
01.020 Tangible Personal Property Tax

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

 9,295,585 10,143,737 10,659,626 11,352,526 12,419,838 13,003,175 13,606,885
01.035 Unrestricted Grants-in-Aid

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

 47,430,636 48,612,019 49,677,614 53,347,291 55,647,708 56,566,297 56,705,433
01.040 Restricted Grants-in-Aid

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

 2,950,544 4,547,822 3,079,595 2,105,534 1,803,150 1,821,182 1,839,394
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.

 11,132,848 11,714,680 12,272,940 11,982,903 12,286,216 13,044,506 13,200,738
01.060 All Other Operating Revenue

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

 23,601,610 27,165,713 26,243,425 24,364,779 24,000,427 24,203,646 23,963,372
01.070 Total Revenue

All of the revenue above, added together.

 197,260,981 210,032,446 215,676,305 218,542,959 224,987,946 230,910,358 233,432,543
02.040 Operating Transfers-In

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

 2,016,173 162,985 1,535,727 1,348,100 672,900 680,050 0
02.050 Advances-In

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

 0 178,925 1,551,967 329,111 0 0 0
02.060 All Other Financing Sources

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

 160,825 51,760 880,280 741,783 249,946 253,912 264,568
02.070 Total Other Financing Sources

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

 2,176,998 393,670 3,967,974 2,418,994 922,846 933,962 264,568
02.080 Total Revenue and Other Financing Sources

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

 199,437,979 210,426,116 219,644,279 220,961,953 225,910,792 231,844,320 233,697,111
03.010 Personal Services - Employee Salaries & Wages

Salaries and wages for teachers and every other employee.

 111,653,418 114,651,152 119,546,810 123,536,010 125,884,789 128,777,947 131,798,873
03.020 Employees' Retirement and Insurance Benefits

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

 36,936,010 42,514,476 45,962,577 48,648,982 49,871,851 51,198,396 52,552,660
03.030 Purchased Services

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

 36,195,955 36,853,403 41,459,246 44,416,994 42,001,402 43,240,542 44,875,834
03.040 Supplies and Materials

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

 5,173,315 6,964,970 9,882,638 5,448,840 6,008,573 6,105,601 6,204,291
03.050 Capital Outlay

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

 985,834 461,922 362,536 411,611 418,343 425,187 432,145
04.010 All Principal (Historical)

Borrowed money repaid in past years.

 550,000 570,000 600,000 620,000 640,000 670,000 0
04.050 Principal-HB 264 Loans

Repaying loans for energy-saving building work (House Bill 264).

 796,005 865,000 870,000 670,000 0 0 0
04.060 Interest and Fiscal Charges

Interest and fees on the district's borrowing.

 213,875 208,083 55,205 58,100 32,900 10,050 0
04.300 Other Objects

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

 2,206,261 2,071,370 2,201,576 2,259,349 2,490,041 2,512,052 2,525,443
04.500 Total Expenditures

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

 194,710,673 205,160,376 220,940,588 226,069,886 227,347,899 232,939,775 238,389,246
05.010 Operational Transfers-Out

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

 3,889,119 3,346,439 51,174,754 11,602,166 11,144,709 11,343,726 10,811,913
05.020 Advances-Out

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

 178,925 1,551,967 329,111 0 0 0 0
05.040 Total Other Financing Uses

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

 4,068,044 4,898,406 51,503,865 11,602,166 11,144,709 11,343,726 10,811,913
05.050 Total Expenditures and Other Financing Uses

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

 198,778,717 210,058,782 272,444,453 237,672,052 238,492,608 244,283,501 249,201,159
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.

 659,262 367,334 (52,800,174) (16,710,099) (12,581,816) (12,439,181) (15,504,048)
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.

 115,320,719 115,979,981 116,347,315 63,547,141 46,837,042 34,255,226 21,816,045
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.

 115,979,981 116,347,315 63,547,141 46,837,042 34,255,226 21,816,045 6,311,997
08.010 Estimated Encumbrances June 30

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

 520,451 402,778 456,277 500,000 500,000 500,000 500,000
09.045 Fiscal Stabilization

Money set aside to steady the budget over future years.

 7,913,380 7,983,035 0 0 0 0 0
09.080 Subtotal

All of the money set aside, lines 9.010 to 9.070, added together.

 7,913,380 7,983,035 0 0 0 0 0
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.

 107,546,150 107,961,502 63,090,864 46,337,042 33,755,226 21,316,045 5,811,997
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.

 107,546,150 107,961,502 63,090,864 46,337,042 33,755,226 21,316,045 5,811,997
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 11,315,559
13.030 Cumulative Balance of New Levies

The new levies above, added up year after year.

 0 0 0 0 0 0 11,315,559
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.

 107,546,150 107,961,502 63,090,864 46,337,042 33,755,226 21,316,045 17,127,556

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.

Lakota Local’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.