State funding for Olentangy Schools equals tax relief for our residents. Over the past few months, Ohio’s lawmakers have been crafting the state budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. The budget bill will contain the state statutes that define how the school funding formula works - the statutes create the formula/algorithm that is used to determine how much funding each Ohio school district receives. It is imperative that our lawmakers hear from Olentangy residents on what is needed to provide tax relief for our residents. It is crucial that legislators hear from our Delaware County community during the committee’s negotiations, which is currently in a conference committee and must conclude by June 30.

We ask our One Olentangy community to urgently contact our legislators to oppose Ohio House Bill 335 (HB 335). As the state budget proposals and discussions progress, a series of Ohio property tax provisions within HB 335 are under consideration. This legislation enacts sweeping property tax reforms that could significantly impact public schools statewide, including those in Delaware County, by eliminating the non-voted guaranteed funding provided by inside millage, banning new emergency and substitute levies, and granting county budget commissions the authority to override previous voter-approved levies. More importantly, HB 335—nor any of the current state budget proposals—introduces plans to replace the revenues that would be lost to districts and municipalities.   

If HB 335 becomes law, the sweeping overhaul of Ohio’s property tax system would erase nearly $2 billion in funding for the state’s 609 public school districts ahead of the upcoming school year; it could represent the largest K-12 funding cuts in state history (in Olentangy, it is a loss of $35 million each year). This sudden and unexpected loss of this nature could see the elimination of nearly 20,000 teaching and other essential student support roles in our collective districts. Without this essential operating revenue, the high-quality academic, co-curricular, and extracurricular experiences students and families across our Delaware County community expect and deserve will suffer.  

At Olentangy Schools, we support meaningful property tax reform and welcome thoughtful examination of Ohio’s taxation structure. However, we cannot support a rash measure that may destabilize public education and public services, placing public school districts and other public entities on a pathway to fiscal insolvency and emergency. The forecasted tax relief for our residents would be short-lived, as school districts across our state would be forced to seek additional operating funds immediately by unfairly shifting the tax burden onto local residents in the form of future levies. 

CONTACT OHIO LEGISLATORS TODAY

Template Message:
Olentangy Schools Advocacy Letter

• Rep. Brian Stewart: (614) 466-1464 / rep12@ohiohouse.gov
• Rep. Michael Dovilla: (614) 466-4895 / rep17@ohiohouse.gov
• Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney: (614) 466-3350 / rep16@ohiohouse.gov
• Sen. Jerry Cirino: (614) 644-7718 / cirino@ohiosenate.gov
• Sen. Brian Chavez: (614) 466-8056 / chavez@ohiosenate.gov
• Sen. Paula Hicks-Hudson: (614) 466-5204 / hicks-hudson@ohiosenate.gov
• Rep. Brian Lorenz: (614) 644-6711 / Rep60@OhioHouse.gov
• Rep. Beth Lear: (614) 466-1431 / Rep61@OhioHouse.gov
• Sen. Andrew Brenner: (614) 466-8086 / Brenner@ohiosenate.gov