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School budgets

Southwest Licking Local forecasts running short in FY2029

Southwest Licking Local – 048041 (Licking) · Fiscal Year 2027 First Required Forecast (Fall)

Submission date: 08/24/2026

Southwest Licking 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, Southwest Licking Local goes below zero in FY2029 if its current levies are renewed and no new one passes. It has written in a new income tax levy from FY2027 — $12,668,569 in FY2030 — that voters have not approved.

FY2027 fallfiled July–August 2026 FY2026 spring updatefiled February 2026
Cash, June 30, 2026
$23.9M

4.2 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
Income tax

from FY2027, not yet approved by voters

Southwest Licking Local Schools on the November 3, 2026 ballot

  1. Bond, $80.7 million

    New School buildings

    Construct, renovate, repair, expand, improve school facilities · 35 years · from Dec 1, 2026

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

    The county auditor’s estimate, as the ballot states it: 2.87 mills a year on average over the life of the bond. Source: the Licking County Board of Elections’ sample ballot.

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

    Borrows $80.7 million over 35 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.

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

  2. Income tax, 2%

    Replacement Schools

    Current operating expenses · Continuing · from Jan 1, 2027

    A 2% tax in place of one collected today. The ballot names the tax it replaces.

How its earlier votes went: since March 17, 2020, voters have decided 3 Southwest Licking Local Schools tax issues — 1 passed and 2 failed. Of the issues asking for new money, 0 of 2 passed; of the other 1 (a replacement), 1 passed.

Every tax issue on the ballot in Licking County →

Southwest Licking 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. 23,853,844 22,371,584 (18,487,849)
08.010 Already committedEncumbrances: purchase orders and contracts signed, not yet paid. − 237,347 − 0 − 0
09.080 Set asideReserves the law or the board require, such as a budget reserve. − 3,394,156 − 1,937,077 − 0
10.010 Unencumbered balanceWhat is free to spend. The state calls it the fund balance for certification of appropriations. 20,222,341 20,434,507 (18,487,849)
12.010 With renewalsThe balance if every renewal passes and nothing new does. 20,222,341 20,434,507 (18,487,849)
13.030 New leviesLevies the district has written into its forecast. Not yet voted on. + 0 + 2,817,381 + 34,906,861
15.010 Unreserved fund balanceThe state's bottom line. In a forecast year it counts any new levy above as if it had passed. 20,222,341 23,251,888 16,419,012

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.

Southwest Licking Local’s forecast, line by line

Each line as Southwest Licking 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.

 25,518,342 27,908,334 26,887,853 24,301,000 24,297,978 24,812,305 25,812,752
01.020 Tangible Personal Property Tax

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

 2,002,941 2,064,436 2,022,946 2,060,137 2,130,375 2,189,204 2,236,824
01.030 Income Tax

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

 8,810,672 9,487,235 10,027,179 10,874,813 11,438,907 12,036,426 12,668,569
01.035 Unrestricted Grants-in-Aid

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

 19,257,224 18,967,748 19,604,787 17,640,673 15,576,211 15,693,872 15,697,329
01.040 Restricted Grants-in-Aid

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

 1,598,176 1,589,901 1,231,603 1,010,158 1,013,704 937,309 937,309
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.

 3,140,814 3,575,437 3,677,956 8,526,103 4,223,495 4,356,091 4,745,933
01.060 All Other Operating Revenue

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

 3,229,909 4,025,603 4,662,378 4,000,200 3,614,668 3,331,503 3,125,177
01.070 Total Revenue

All of the revenue above, added together.

 63,558,078 67,618,694 68,114,702 68,413,084 62,295,338 63,356,710 65,223,893
02.040 Operating Transfers-In

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

 737,956 822,731 1,758,943 800,800 800,800 800,800 800,800
02.050 Advances-In

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

 13,461 21,504 234,387 169,910 169,910 169,910 169,910
02.060 All Other Financing Sources

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

 180,386 264,420 272,033 248,200 248,200 248,200 248,200
02.070 Total Other Financing Sources

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

 931,803 1,108,655 2,265,363 1,218,910 1,218,910 1,218,910 1,218,910
02.080 Total Revenue and Other Financing Sources

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

 64,489,881 68,727,349 70,380,065 69,631,994 63,514,248 64,575,620 66,442,803
03.010 Personal Services - Employee Salaries & Wages

Salaries and wages for teachers and every other employee.

 30,697,213 35,769,922 38,831,252 40,955,167 42,419,528 43,920,498 45,458,993
03.020 Employees' Retirement and Insurance Benefits

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

 13,195,503 15,009,950 16,953,011 18,379,000 19,966,486 21,717,096 23,649,044
03.030 Purchased Services

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

 6,517,871 7,282,234 9,548,876 7,329,774 7,696,263 8,081,076 8,485,130
03.040 Supplies and Materials

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

 1,503,640 1,702,896 2,255,295 1,833,574 1,888,581 1,945,239 2,003,596
03.050 Capital Outlay

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

 683,939 1,600 27,920 37,000 37,000 37,000 37,000
04.300 Other Objects

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

 834,006 883,467 941,778 1,000,739 1,050,776 1,103,316 1,158,482
04.500 Total Expenditures

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

 53,432,172 60,650,069 68,558,132 69,535,254 73,058,634 76,804,225 80,792,244
05.010 Operational Transfers-Out

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

 737,675 32,322,609 1,747,464 1,414,200 1,414,200 1,414,200 1,414,200
05.020 Advances-Out

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

 21,504 234,387 169,910 164,800 164,800 164,800 164,800
05.040 Total Other Financing Uses

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

 759,179 32,556,996 1,917,374 1,579,000 1,579,000 1,579,000 1,579,000
05.050 Total Expenditures and Other Financing Uses

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

 54,191,351 93,207,065 70,475,506 71,114,254 74,637,634 78,383,225 82,371,244
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.

 10,298,530 (24,479,716) (95,441) (1,482,260) (11,123,386) (13,807,605) (15,928,441)
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.

 38,130,471 48,429,001 23,949,285 23,853,844 22,371,584 11,248,197 (2,559,407)
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.

 48,429,001 23,949,285 23,853,844 22,371,584 11,248,197 (2,559,407) (18,487,849)
08.010 Estimated Encumbrances June 30

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

 795,793 3,841,952 237,347 0 0 0 0
09.045 Fiscal Stabilization

Money set aside to steady the budget over future years.

 2,243,916 3,186,923 3,394,156 1,937,077 0 0 0
09.080 Subtotal

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

 2,243,916 3,186,923 3,394,156 1,937,077 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.

 45,389,292 16,920,409 20,222,341 20,434,507 11,248,197 (2,559,407) (18,487,849)
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.

 45,389,292 16,920,409 20,222,341 20,434,507 11,248,197 (2,559,407) (18,487,849)
13.010 Income Tax - New

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

 0 0 0 2,817,381 7,384,485 12,036,426 12,668,569
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 2,817,381 10,201,866 22,238,292 34,906,861
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.

 45,389,292 16,920,409 20,222,341 23,251,888 21,450,063 19,678,885 16,419,012

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.

Southwest Licking 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.