What you can ask

Name a county, a town or a school district, and what you want to know about it. Tap a question to put it in the box, then change the place to yours.

A county

Your tax bill

Levies and the ballot

Schools

Home values, unpaid tax and foreclosures

Home prices, here or anywhere

If the site can’t tell which page you mean, your question goes to our AI model to try and give you a better answer — we don’t use any personal or identifying information to achieve this.

School budgets

Lawrence County forecasts no shortfall through FY2029

Lawrence County – 051185 (Lawrence) · Fiscal Year 2026 Required Update to Forecast

Submission date: 02/26/2026

Lawrence County’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, Lawrence County stays above zero through FY2029 if its current levies are renewed and no new one passes. A career center serves pupils from several districts, so it is in no county’s total and not in Ohio’s.

Cash, June 30, 2025
$8.5M

9.4 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
None

it counts no levy voters have not approved

Lawrence County Schools on the November 3, 2026 ballot

  1. Property tax, 0.5 mills

    Renewal School buildings

    Permanent improvements · 5 years · from 2027

    Continues a levy already on the bill. If it passes, the levy keeps going as it is today; if it fails, it ends when its current term runs out. When homes are revalued, the state cuts its rate so it collects the same total — so a home whose value rose more than most pays a little more of it.

    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 Lawrence County Schools tax issue — 1 passed and 0 failed. Renewals passed 1 of 1.

Every tax issue on the ballot in Lawrence County →

Lawrence County: 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. 8,452,041 5,552,425 5,796,008
08.010 Already committedEncumbrances: purchase orders and contracts signed, not yet paid. − 1,650 − 0 − 0
10.010 Unencumbered balanceWhat is free to spend. The state calls it the fund balance for certification of appropriations. 8,453,691 5,552,425 5,796,008
12.010 With renewalsThe balance if every renewal passes and nothing new does. 8,453,691 5,552,425 5,796,008
15.010 Unreserved fund balanceThe state's bottom line. In a forecast year it counts any new levy above as if it had passed. 8,453,691 5,552,425 5,796,008

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.

Lawrence County’s forecast, line by line

Each line as Lawrence County 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.

3,325,218 3,604,032 3,590,900 3,750,000 3,800,000 3,850,000 3,900,000
01.035 Unrestricted Grants-in-Aid

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

7,156,898 6,061,487 6,544,997 7,450,919 7,500,000 7,525,000 7,550,000
01.040 Restricted Grants-in-Aid

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

40,786 2,729,439 3,337,271 3,726,933 3,750,000 3,775,000 3,800,000
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.

430,392 445,497 453,024 375,000 380,000 385,000 390,000
01.060 All Other Operating Revenue

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

446,311 345,018 (61,807) 130,000 130,000 130,000 130,000
01.070 Total Revenue

All of the revenue above, added together.

11,399,605 13,185,473 13,864,385 15,432,851 15,560,000 15,665,000 15,770,000
02.040 Operating Transfers-In

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

1,354,050 1,302,829 1,445,042 1,126,953 750,000 750,000 750,000
02.060 All Other Financing Sources

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

0 13,198 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.

1,354,050 1,316,027 1,445,042 1,126,953 750,000 750,000 750,000
02.080 Total Revenue and Other Financing Sources

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

12,753,655 14,501,500 15,309,427 16,559,804 16,310,000 16,415,000 16,520,000
03.010 Personal Services - Employee Salaries & Wages

Salaries and wages for teachers and every other employee.

5,567,979 6,002,023 6,556,874 6,875,499 6,857,739 7,063,471 7,275,375
03.020 Employees' Retirement and Insurance Benefits

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

2,094,880 2,221,908 2,280,510 2,488,637 2,613,069 2,743,722 2,880,908
03.030 Purchased Services

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

2,231,997 1,061,104 875,072 2,092,167 2,136,932 2,187,590 2,239,168
03.040 Supplies and Materials

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

563,679 533,361 696,006 1,021,286 948,925 977,392 1,006,717
03.050 Capital Outlay

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

240,227 39,190 203,029 505,788 473,800 488,014 502,655
04.055 Principal - Other

Repaying other borrowing from the general fund.

0 0 0 179,698 372,199 389,945 408,538
04.060 Interest and Fiscal Charges

Interest and fees on the district's borrowing.

0 0 0 47,125 81,448 63,701 45,109
04.300 Other Objects

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

157,734 188,118 154,606 155,000 160,000 165,000 170,000
04.500 Total Expenditures

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

10,856,496 10,045,704 10,766,097 13,365,201 13,644,111 14,078,836 14,528,470
05.010 Operational Transfers-Out

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

2,120,794 2,249,825 2,241,906 6,094,219 2,550,000 2,250,000 1,950,000
05.040 Total Other Financing Uses

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

2,120,794 2,249,825 2,241,906 6,094,219 2,550,000 2,250,000 1,950,000
05.050 Total Expenditures and Other Financing Uses

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

12,977,290 12,295,529 13,008,003 19,459,420 16,194,111 16,328,836 16,478,470
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.

(223,635) 2,205,971 2,301,424 (2,899,616) 115,889 86,164 41,530
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.

4,168,281 3,944,646 6,150,617 8,452,041 5,552,425 5,668,314 5,754,478
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.

3,944,646 6,150,617 8,452,041 5,552,425 5,668,314 5,754,478 5,796,008
08.010 Estimated Encumbrances June 30

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

0 (505) (1,650) 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.

3,944,646 6,151,122 8,453,691 5,552,425 5,668,314 5,754,478 5,796,008
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.

3,944,646 6,151,122 8,453,691 5,552,425 5,668,314 5,754,478 5,796,008
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.

3,944,646 6,151,122 8,453,691 5,552,425 5,668,314 5,754,478 5,796,008

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.

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.