Current issues and how they may affect the financial forecast of the Boardman Local School System are noted in the district’s most recent five-year forecast prepared by Treasurer Arthur Ginnetti.
      The school system treasurer says on December 19, 2025, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed into law several pieces of legislation that are the most sweeping changes to Ohio property tax law since 1976. The new legislation includes four House Bills that became effective March 19.
      “Of particular concern is House Bill 186 that implements new property tax caps retroactively for property reappraisal and triennial updates that occurred in tax years 2023, 2024 and 2025,” Ginnetti said, adding the Ohio Department of Taxation has until April 20 to calculate any tax reductions that impact school districts.
      Ginnetti’s most recent five year forecast provides a brief summary of the impact of each of the House Bills signed by Gov. DeWine last December.
      •House Bill 129 implements new requirements for and restores fixed sum levies. It will also include fixed sum levy millage in the 20-mill floor calculation beginning in the next reappraisal or triennial update cycle of any county that contains district territory, but no later than Tax Year 2028 collect in calendar 2029.
      “For the Boardman Local School District our district this will result in a loss...It is estimated this new law will lower...tax collections by $18.5 million through fiscal year 2030,” Treasurer Ginnetti said.
      •House Bill 186 establishes Inflation Cap Credits, if applicable, following reappraisals and triennial updates for school district property taxes, preventing increases beyond the Gross Domestic Product Deflation Factor and also includes Temporary Tax Credits (claw back) provision that takes back tax revenue that has already been collected by school districts beginning with reappraisals and triennial updates that occurred before the effective date of the law retroactive back to tax years 2023, 2024 and 2025.
      “These are funds that have already been realized and have been spent and/or included in future educational planning. While skyrocketing home values resulted in the need for property tax reform that limits tax growth for taxpayers, the retroactive claw back of taxes already paid is very detrimental,” Ginnetti said, adding “The Boardman Local School District is not going to be affected by this legislation on our tax year 2023 reappraisal and will project increases in values lower than anticipated in future reappraisal/triennial updates.
      •House Bill 309 allows County Budget Commissions (CBCs) to reduce any voter-approved levy (except debt) to bring taxes levied within levels the CBC finds reasonable and prudent to avoid unnecessary collections.
      “This law gives locally elected CBC officials the power to override voter-approved levies and local school board fiscal decisions,” Ginnetti said, adding “The impact of this new law is indeterminable and can be administered inconsistently in 88 counties across Ohio.
      •House Bill 335 limits revenue growth from inside millage due to valuation reappraisals or triennial updates to no more than the Gross Domestic Product Deflation Factor.
      “The Boardman Local School District plans to project at or below anticipated [delation factor] to avoid inflation cap credits on inside millage collections,” Ginnetti said.
      Property taxes are the largest single revenue source for the school system equating to 75.7% of the district’s resources.
      The state budget represents 24.3% of district revenues, which means it is a significant risk to the revenue.
      The local school treasurer says “The Boardman Local School District has a 5.9 mill and 6.0 mill operating levies that expire December 31, 2026; a $4.6 million emergency levy that expires December 31, 2027; a $4.9 million emergency levy and 5.9 mill operating expiring December 31, 2028, and; a $1.99 million emergency levy expiring December 31, 2029.
      “The District will need to renew all levies to remain financially viable long term,” Ginnetti said.
      On the ballot in the May primaries This 5.9 mill renewal levy generates approximately $4.27 million dollars annually.
      The levy was originally introduced in November 2025 as a continuing levy, meaning it would remain in effect indefinitely, and failed to gain voter approval.
      “We’re going back to the taxpayers again, in hopes that it’ll pass this time,” Boardman Local School Supt. Chris Neifer said when the Board of Education voted in February to place the issue on the primary ballot.
      “The feedback we got from our constituents was that it probably would have passed if it was just a plain renewal,” Neifer said.