Dear residents of the Chardon Local School District,

As your Chardon Schools Fiscal Advisory Committee, we write to you as fellow community members, parents, and taxpayers who work closely with the Treasurer/CFO to offer community input on district financial direction. We understand the public debate around rising property tax bills in other parts of Ohio, but the fact remains that Chardon taxpayers continue to be protected by House Bill 920 and are only seeing tax increases on inside millage. A 26% increase in property value in Chardon is not a 26% increase in property taxes. We support balanced and responsible property tax reform that protects funding for strong public schools.

While not all of us have school-aged children, the ripple effect that strong schools have on generations of students makes a tremendous impact on a community. While no institution is perfect, the district has managed its finances wisely and operated for over 8 years without asking for additional operating expenses. This is no small task and a testament to the effort we go through to balance our budgets.

The district’s goal is to ensure fiscal transparency and responsibility while maintaining the educational excellence Chardon expects. In order to understand the district’s present fiscal reality, we must share the complete picture of how Ohio's education funding model impacts your local tax burden and the services we all rely on.

Over the past two decades, the Ohio Legislature made a series of decisions that fundamentally changed who pays for public education. This isn't a problem unique to Chardon, but a systemic shift that impacts every local community.

FACTS THAT DRIVE YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILLS:

• In 2002, the state's share of education funding was 44.8%;
• In 2023, the state’s share of education funding was only 33.5%.

This change in state funding shifted the burden to fund public education to local taxpayers who now fund 66.5% of the cost of public education.

We write this letter to advocate for honest and sustainable fiscal solutions.

Quick fixes that eliminate property tax revenue for our schools without a replacement plan risk devastating the district’s budget. As a committee dedicated to fiscal prudence, we believe real property tax relief must involve the State of Ohio stepping up to fulfill its constitutional responsibility to adequately fund public education. The burden of educating Ohio's children should not fall so heavily on local homeowners. We need our state legislators to be partners in this solution, ensuring equitable funding that protects our local public schools and our residents.

We invite you to stay engaged, review our financial reports, and demand accountability from all levels of government. Our goal is to ensure a strong fiscal future for Chardon and the best possible education for our students.

Talk to your local legislators and tell them that balanced reform is needed!

AREA LEGISLATORS FOR GEAUGA COUNTY:

Representative Sarah Fowler Arthur

77 south High Street 12th Floor

Columbus, OH 43215

Phone: 614-466-1405

WEBSITE

Senator Sandra O'Brien

Senate Building 1 Capitol Square

First Floor 125

Columbus, OH 43215

614-466-7182

WEBSITE

The Chardon Schools Fiscal Advisory Committee

Deb Armbruster

Sarah Baggott

Karen Blankenship

Gabrielle Boose

Keith Brewster

Ryan Caswell

Michael Hanlon

Crystal King-Morrison

Elizabeth Landies

Nate McDonald

Casey Ptasznik

Guy Wilson