Trotwood‑Madison board weighs November levy as deficit spending continues

The Trotwood‑Madison Board of Education discussed whether to pursue a local levy in November, with district leaders warning that continuing deficit spending will make new revenue necessary.

The superintendent reviewed statutory filing deadlines and said August 9 is the deadline to file for the November ballot. "First, you can see under that subtopic, August 9 would be the deadline for filing for the November," the superintendent told the board. The treasurer provided a snapshot of current levy collections and historical levies and noted the district last passed a levy that generated new operating money 21 years ago.

Why it matters: board members and administration described an ongoing budget shortfall that has prompted talks about a local tax measure. The treasurer said current property-tax collections bring in roughly $7.7 million and flagged a community-run levy fund with about $6,900 in carryover to support campaign activity, but emphasized that further research is required to determine what type of levy (property, income or earned-income tax) would be appropriate.

During the discussion the superintendent framed the decision as both technical and political: the board will need to decide whether to pursue a levy resolution and to allow a community committee to run the campaign. "We have spent an entire school year just about talking about our deficit spending," the superintendent said, noting the district must consider actions to preserve programming.

Board members asked staff to return with more detailed financial projections and revenue estimates for different levy types before the August filing deadline. No final resolution to place a levy on the ballot was approved at the meeting; members were asked to identify what additional research or analysis they wanted staff to prepare.

What happens next: the board requested more information and modeling from district staff; if the board decides to pursue the levy, the district must meet the statutory filing timeline (August 9) to appear on the November ballot.