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School budgets

Liberty-Benton Local forecasts no shortfall through FY2030

Liberty-Benton Local – 047449 (Hancock) · Fiscal Year 2027 First Required Forecast (Fall)

Submission date: 08/26/2026

Liberty-Benton 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, Liberty-Benton Local stays above zero through FY2030 if its current levies are renewed and no new one passes. It has written in a new income tax levy from FY2028 — $2,000,279 in FY2030 — that voters have not approved.

FY2027 fallfiled July–August 2026 FY2026 spring updatefiled February 2026
Cash, June 30, 2026
$11.2M

6.9 months of that year’s spending

Runs short
Not by FY2030

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

New levy in the forecast
Income tax

from FY2028, not yet approved by voters

Liberty-Benton Local Schools on the November 3, 2026 ballot

Liberty-Benton Local Schools has no tax issue on this ballot, on the Ohio Secretary of State’s list of local questions and issues as of September 18, 2026.

How its earlier votes went: since March 17, 2020, voters have decided 1 Liberty-Benton Local Schools tax issue — 1 passed and 0 failed. Of the other 1 (a replacement), 1 passed.

Every tax issue on the ballot in Hancock County →

Liberty-Benton 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 ActualFY2026 BudgetFY2027 ForecastFY2030
07.020 Cash balance at June 30Everything in the general fund's account at the end of the year. 11,150,621 11,585,372 5,508,411
08.010 Already committedEncumbrances: purchase orders and contracts signed, not yet paid. − 215,995 − 321,759 − 321,759
10.010 Unencumbered balanceWhat is free to spend. The state calls it the fund balance for certification of appropriations. 10,934,626 11,263,613 5,186,652
12.010 With renewalsThe balance if every renewal passes and nothing new does. 10,934,626 11,263,613 5,186,652
13.030 New leviesLevies the district has written into its forecast. Not yet voted on. + 0 + 0 + 3,436,039
15.010 Unreserved fund balanceThe state's bottom line. In a forecast year it counts any new levy above as if it had passed. 10,934,626 11,263,613 8,622,691

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.

Liberty-Benton Local’s forecast, line by line

Each line as Liberty-Benton 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 ActualFY2024 ActualFY2025 ActualFY2026 Current year budgetFY2027 Forecast year 1FY2028 Forecast year 2FY2029 Forecast year 3FY2030
01.010 General Property Tax (Real Estate)

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

 5,907,041 5,812,340 6,694,024 6,148,600 6,633,866 6,938,773 7,221,914
01.020 Tangible Personal Property Tax

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

 964,806 1,071,953 1,187,184 1,219,663 1,238,409 1,239,376 1,241,022
01.030 Income Tax

The school district income tax its residents pay on their earnings, where voters have approved one.

 2,969,858 2,867,767 2,964,227 3,054,877 3,152,627 3,254,588 3,360,932
01.035 Unrestricted Grants-in-Aid

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

 7,511,269 7,631,463 7,830,406 8,206,718 7,418,821 6,909,075 6,714,034
01.040 Restricted Grants-in-Aid

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

 517,900 591,912 468,879 457,669 426,352 397,627 379,159
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.

 730,655 729,090 818,169 903,322 910,844 928,706 946,266
01.060 All Other Operating Revenue

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

 745,338 1,178,551 1,203,036 1,083,529 808,984 758,984 758,984
01.070 Total Revenue

All of the revenue above, added together.

 19,346,867 19,883,075 21,165,926 21,074,378 20,589,903 20,427,129 20,622,311
02.040 Operating Transfers-In

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

 1,921 1,002 4,485 2,469 2,469 2,469 2,469
02.060 All Other Financing Sources

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

 106,817 116,883 83,337 57,201 57,201 57,201 57,201
02.070 Total Other Financing Sources

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

 108,737 117,885 87,822 59,670 59,670 59,670 59,670
02.080 Total Revenue and Other Financing Sources

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

 19,455,604 20,000,960 21,253,748 21,134,048 20,649,573 20,486,799 20,681,981
03.010 Personal Services - Employee Salaries & Wages

Salaries and wages for teachers and every other employee.

 9,250,233 9,922,786 9,765,929 10,255,469 10,810,202 11,264,790 11,722,899
03.020 Employees' Retirement and Insurance Benefits

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

 3,825,087 3,942,611 4,055,977 4,058,631 4,198,143 4,374,756 4,670,278
03.030 Purchased Services

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

 3,177,128 3,373,511 3,995,675 4,145,906 4,207,416 4,379,920 4,559,497
03.040 Supplies and Materials

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

 680,802 647,081 581,891 660,794 874,341 880,495 942,198
03.050 Capital Outlay

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

 181,351 672,665 842,023 489,997 477,900 589,000 278,500
04.300 Other Objects

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

 218,830 230,098 257,236 263,406 272,021 275,783 284,695
04.500 Total Expenditures

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

 17,333,431 18,788,752 19,498,731 19,874,203 20,840,023 21,764,744 22,458,067
05.010 Operational Transfers-Out

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

 1,099,336 1,295,422 804,909 825,094 917,474 943,783 971,223
05.040 Total Other Financing Uses

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

 1,099,336 1,295,422 804,909 825,094 917,474 943,783 971,223
05.050 Total Expenditures and Other Financing Uses

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

 18,432,767 20,084,174 20,303,640 20,699,297 21,757,497 22,708,527 23,429,290
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.

 1,022,837 (83,214) 950,108 434,751 (1,107,924) (2,221,728) (2,747,309)
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.

 9,260,889 10,283,726 10,200,513 11,150,621 11,585,372 10,477,448 8,255,720
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.

 10,283,726 10,200,513 11,150,621 11,585,372 10,477,448 8,255,720 5,508,411
08.010 Estimated Encumbrances June 30

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

 339,765 241,476 215,995 321,759 321,759 321,759 321,759
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.

 9,943,961 9,959,037 10,934,626 11,263,613 10,155,689 7,933,961 5,186,652
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.

 9,943,961 9,959,037 10,934,626 11,263,613 10,155,689 7,933,961 5,186,652
13.010 Income Tax - New

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

 0 0 0 0 111,022 1,324,738 2,000,279
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 0 111,022 1,435,760 3,436,039
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.

 9,943,961 9,959,037 10,934,626 11,263,613 10,266,711 9,369,721 8,622,691
20.010 Kindergarten - October count

Kindergarten pupils enrolled, counted each October.

 126 134 133 131 129 129 94
20.015 Grades 1-12 - October count

Pupils in grades 1 to 12, counted each October.

 1,407 1,414 1,432 1,436 1,463 1,479 1,537

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.

Liberty-Benton 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.