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School budgets

Lima City forecasts running short in FY2029

Lima City – 044222 (Allen) · Fiscal Year 2026 Required Update to Forecast

Submission date: 02/18/2026

Lima 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, Lima City goes below zero in FY2029 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
$33.2M

7.1 months of that year’s spending

Runs short
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

Lima City Schools on the November 3, 2026 ballot

  1. Property tax, 5.99 mills

    Renewal Schools

    Acquire, construct, enlarge, renovate, finance general permanent improvements; current operating expenses · 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.

How its earlier votes went: since March 17, 2020, voters have decided 2 Lima City Schools tax issues — 2 passed and 0 failed. Renewals passed 2 of 2.

Every tax issue on the ballot in Allen County →

Lima 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. 33,235,603 24,204,770 (1,909,133)
08.010 Already committedEncumbrances: purchase orders and contracts signed, not yet paid. − 3,433,796 − 2,500,000 − 2,500,000
09.080 Set asideReserves the law or the board require, such as a budget reserve. − 5,408,127 − 5,408,127 − 5,408,127
10.010 Unencumbered balanceWhat is free to spend. The state calls it the fund balance for certification of appropriations. 24,393,680 16,296,643 (9,817,260)
11.300 Renewal leviesExisting levies the district expects voters to renew, added year by year. + 0 + 0 + 1,282,500
12.010 With renewalsThe balance if every renewal passes and nothing new does. 24,393,680 16,296,643 (8,534,760)
15.010 Unreserved fund balanceThe state's bottom line. In a forecast year it counts any new levy above as if it had passed. 24,393,680 16,296,643 (8,534,760)

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.

Lima City’s forecast, line by line

Each line as Lima 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.

 8,161,962 7,734,699 9,360,740 8,840,634 8,804,775 8,310,760 7,916,230
01.020 Tangible Personal Property Tax

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

 1,231,863 694,735 1,457,263 1,413,741 1,490,017 1,405,824 1,354,908
01.035 Unrestricted Grants-in-Aid

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

 34,180,399 33,669,542 34,363,288 33,154,702 33,172,982 33,176,388 33,179,856
01.040 Restricted Grants-in-Aid

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

 5,598,080 5,598,834 5,342,701 4,967,497 4,897,244 4,897,244 4,897,244
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.

 1,037,271 925,943 1,077,313 1,097,664 1,100,346 1,050,241 1,000,114
01.060 All Other Operating Revenue

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

 2,180,709 2,739,675 2,287,980 1,941,815 1,691,815 1,441,815 1,341,815
01.070 Total Revenue

All of the revenue above, added together.

 52,390,284 51,363,428 53,889,285 51,416,053 51,157,179 50,282,272 49,690,167
02.060 All Other Financing Sources

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

 79,891 47,778 16,712 16,879 17,048 17,218 17,390
02.070 Total Other Financing Sources

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

 79,891 47,778 16,712 16,879 17,048 17,218 17,390
02.080 Total Revenue and Other Financing Sources

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

 52,470,175 51,411,206 53,905,997 51,432,932 51,174,227 50,299,490 49,707,557
03.010 Personal Services - Employee Salaries & Wages

Salaries and wages for teachers and every other employee.

 29,251,221 31,088,484 33,280,377 34,442,905 34,907,546 35,394,258 35,887,939
03.020 Employees' Retirement and Insurance Benefits

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

 9,766,105 10,395,236 11,096,733 11,430,247 11,562,269 11,646,257 11,731,903
03.030 Purchased Services

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

 9,920,489 6,844,384 6,989,411 7,805,448 8,083,225 8,134,058 8,185,400
03.040 Supplies and Materials

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

 1,605,710 1,859,996 1,654,939 1,929,776 1,946,649 1,963,692 2,738,436
03.050 Capital Outlay

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

 1,502,100 837,786 2,370,999 1,914,025 1,000,000 1,000,000 1,200,000
04.050 Principal-HB 264 Loans

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

 255,000 265,000 265,000 275,000 0 0 0
04.055 Principal - Other

Repaying other borrowing from the general fund.

 117,000 121,000 125,000 129,000 133,000 137,000 0
04.060 Interest and Fiscal Charges

Interest and fees on the district's borrowing.

 43,010 33,571 23,776 3,040 6,553 2,206 0
04.300 Other Objects

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

 431,597 423,353 618,618 526,351 531,618 536,938 542,311
04.500 Total Expenditures

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

 52,892,232 51,868,810 56,424,853 58,455,792 58,170,860 58,814,409 60,285,989
05.010 Operational Transfers-Out

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

 31,115 0 17,352 2,000,000 0 0 0
05.030 All Other Financing Uses

Other one-off money going out.

 0 7,663 0 7,973 7,973 7,973 7,973
05.040 Total Other Financing Uses

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

 31,115 7,663 17,352 2,007,973 7,973 7,973 7,973
05.050 Total Expenditures and Other Financing Uses

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

 52,923,347 51,876,473 56,442,205 60,463,765 58,178,833 58,822,382 60,293,962
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.

 (453,172) (465,267) (2,536,208) (9,030,833) (7,004,606) (8,522,892) (10,586,405)
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.

 36,690,250 36,237,078 35,771,811 33,235,603 24,204,770 17,200,164 8,677,272
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.

 36,237,078 35,771,811 33,235,603 24,204,770 17,200,164 8,677,272 (1,909,133)
08.010 Estimated Encumbrances June 30

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

 3,503,028 2,322,917 3,433,796 2,500,000 2,500,000 2,500,000 2,500,000
09.030 Budget Reserve

A rainy-day reserve.

 7,837,728 5,408,127 5,408,127 5,408,127 5,408,127 5,408,127 5,408,127
09.080 Subtotal

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

 7,837,728 5,408,127 5,408,127 5,408,127 5,408,127 5,408,127 5,408,127
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.

 24,896,322 28,040,767 24,393,680 16,296,643 9,292,037 769,145 (9,817,260)
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 0 427,500 855,000
11.300 Cumulative Balance of Replacement/Renewal Levies

The renewals above, added up year after year.

 0 0 0 0 0 427,500 1,282,500
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.

 24,896,322 28,040,767 24,393,680 16,296,643 9,292,037 1,196,645 (8,534,760)
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.

 24,896,322 28,040,767 24,393,680 16,296,643 9,292,037 1,196,645 (8,534,760)
20.010 Kindergarten - October count

Kindergarten pupils enrolled, counted each October.

 253 274 288 253 253 253 253
20.015 Grades 1-12 - October count

Pupils in grades 1 to 12, counted each October.

 3,293 2,884 2,873 3,293 3,293 3,293 3,293

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.

Lima 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.