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School budgets

Northwest Local forecasts running short in FY2030

Northwest Local – 047365 (Hamilton) · Fiscal Year 2027 First Required Forecast (Fall)

Submission date: 08/25/2026

Northwest 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, Northwest Local goes below zero in FY2030 if its current levies are renewed and no new one passes. It has written in a new income tax levy from FY2027 — $36,174,230 in FY2030 — that voters have not approved.

FY2027 fallfiled July–August 2026 FY2026 spring updatefiled February 2026
Cash, June 30, 2026
$37.4M

4.1 months of that year’s spending

Runs short
FY2030

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

New levy in the forecast
Income tax

from FY2027, not yet approved by voters

Northwest Local Schools on the November 3, 2026 ballot

  1. Income tax, 1.5%

    New Schools

    Current expenses · Continuing · from Jan 1, 2027

    $150 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 Northwest Local 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 Hamilton County →

Northwest 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. 37,406,527 36,652,868 (19,897,190)
08.010 Already committedEncumbrances: purchase orders and contracts signed, not yet paid. − 1,620,019 − 0 − 0
10.010 Unencumbered balanceWhat is free to spend. The state calls it the fund balance for certification of appropriations. 35,786,508 36,652,868 (19,897,190)
12.010 With renewalsThe balance if every renewal passes and nothing new does. 35,786,508 36,652,868 (19,897,190)
13.030 New leviesLevies the district has written into its forecast. Not yet voted on. + 0 + 1,885,406 + 94,525,948
15.010 Unreserved fund balanceThe state's bottom line. In a forecast year it counts any new levy above as if it had passed. 35,786,508 38,538,274 74,628,758

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.

Northwest Local’s forecast, line by line

Each line as Northwest 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.

 56,067,044 59,203,065 59,742,596 59,887,920 56,856,182 54,027,003 49,921,555
01.020 Tangible Personal Property Tax

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

 4,493,390 4,751,745 4,879,510 5,505,065 5,527,244 5,349,363 5,111,321
01.035 Unrestricted Grants-in-Aid

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

 26,638,199 23,613,422 23,469,739 25,154,682 24,527,944 24,515,899 24,598,074
01.040 Restricted Grants-in-Aid

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

 6,462,848 6,939,716 5,734,785 5,315,421 5,503,049 5,474,678 5,351,526
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.

 5,904,699 6,329,727 6,365,257 6,394,924 6,080,759 5,744,642 5,334,740
01.060 All Other Operating Revenue

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

 11,832,751 12,130,749 13,358,657 12,438,542 12,478,129 12,474,209 12,375,508
01.070 Total Revenue

All of the revenue above, added together.

 111,398,931 112,968,423 113,550,544 114,696,554 110,973,307 107,585,794 102,692,724
02.040 Operating Transfers-In

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

 20,000 21,168 21,416 20,000 20,000 20,000 20,000
02.050 Advances-In

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

 37,444 56,383 22,628 30,741 30,611 30,611 30,611
02.060 All Other Financing Sources

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

 1,515,815 1,642,294 157,941 434,377 234,377 234,377 234,377
02.070 Total Other Financing Sources

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

 1,573,259 1,719,845 201,985 485,118 284,988 284,988 284,988
02.080 Total Revenue and Other Financing Sources

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

 112,972,189 114,688,268 113,752,529 115,181,673 111,258,296 107,870,783 102,977,713
03.010 Personal Services - Employee Salaries & Wages

Salaries and wages for teachers and every other employee.

 58,525,799 62,224,703 63,146,004 65,173,651 67,965,312 71,203,567 74,762,991
03.020 Employees' Retirement and Insurance Benefits

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

 19,541,061 23,660,564 23,128,755 23,562,924 25,438,759 27,391,207 29,523,112
03.030 Purchased Services

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

 16,968,594 18,639,701 18,641,841 21,296,223 21,130,123 21,918,108 22,850,938
03.040 Supplies and Materials

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

 3,690,527 2,864,596 2,897,000 3,892,586 3,580,813 3,604,572 3,629,044
03.050 Capital Outlay

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

 440,686 1,107,722 1,619,140 235,267 189,594 209,594 229,594
04.300 Other Objects

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

 1,387,412 1,316,265 1,389,628 1,613,303 1,530,903 1,480,903 1,530,903
04.500 Total Expenditures

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

 100,554,079 109,813,551 110,822,368 115,773,954 119,835,504 125,807,951 132,526,582
05.010 Operational Transfers-Out

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

 30,169,664 136,936 132,599 130,767 131,212 131,659 132,108
05.020 Advances-Out

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

 56,383 22,628 30,774 30,611 30,611 30,611 30,611
05.030 All Other Financing Uses

Other one-off money going out.

 43,750 6,000 0 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.

 30,269,797 165,564 163,373 161,378 161,823 162,270 162,719
05.050 Total Expenditures and Other Financing Uses

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

 130,823,876 109,979,115 110,985,741 115,935,332 119,997,327 125,970,221 132,689,301
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.

 (17,851,687) 4,709,153 2,766,788 (753,659) (8,739,031) (18,099,438) (29,711,588)
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.

 47,782,273 29,930,587 34,639,740 37,406,527 36,652,868 27,913,837 9,814,399
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.

 29,930,587 34,639,740 37,406,527 36,652,868 27,913,837 9,814,399 (19,897,190)
08.010 Estimated Encumbrances June 30

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

 1,673,374 2,426,864 1,620,019 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.

 28,257,213 32,212,876 35,786,508 36,652,868 27,913,837 9,814,399 (19,897,190)
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.

 28,257,213 32,212,876 35,786,508 36,652,868 27,913,837 9,814,399 (19,897,190)
13.010 Income Tax - New

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

 0 0 0 1,885,406 22,497,048 33,969,264 36,174,230
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 1,885,406 24,382,454 58,351,718 94,525,948
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.

 28,257,213 32,212,876 35,786,508 38,538,274 52,296,291 68,166,117 74,628,758
20.010 Kindergarten - October count

Kindergarten pupils enrolled, counted each October.

 581 536 509 503 502 496 499
20.015 Grades 1-12 - October count

Pupils in grades 1 to 12, counted each October.

 7,159 6,951 6,653 6,635 6,489 6,348 6,198

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.

Northwest 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.