Financial Questions and Answers
What is on the ballot this year? 10-year renewal of an existing 3.6 mill substitute levy. How much will it cost me? $110 per $100,000 of appraised value OR $9.17 per month per $100,000 of appraised value by the Stark County Auditor. Auditor's website
Why do you need more money? This is a renewal of an existing substitute levy, it will not raise taxes. How long is this levy for? The renewal levy is for 10 years.
What did you spend my money on previously?
This levy generates $1,883,460 annually, which is 10% of the district budget. These funds are used for all core operations of the district.
What have we already cut?
Over the past three years, the district has been cutting staff through attrition to maintain a balanced budget and match our enrollment needs. In March 2025, the Board of Education took action to cut an additional $775,000 in staff and programming through attrition and reductions in force:
- Cutting 4 teaching positions, increasing class sizes and eliminating middle school Spanish
- Reducing 6 paraprofessional positions across the district
- Eliminating summer programs and high school tutorial support
- Scaling back math coaching, curriculum services, and family supports
- Reducing ACT testing and curriculum resources
- Exploring shared administrative services with neighboring districts
Why can’t we just cut things to balance the budget?
The renewal levy represents 10% of the district’s operating budget or $1,883,460. To cut this amount from the district programming would be approximately 25 staff members, substantial reductions in extracurricular and athletic programming, and returning to state minimum coursework in all three buildings.
Didn’t we just pass a levy?
No. The renewal levy was last passed in 2016. The district does not have any other levies.
Why did you spend all of that money on the new building, why didn’t you use that money for operations?
- Revenue from the Rover Pipeline will depreciate over 30 years until the district only collects taxes on 15% of the value
- Funding operations from a decreasing revenue source is not prudent.
- The Board of Education created a permanent improvement fund to take advantage of a temporary windfall of new revenue
How is the district using funds received from the Rover Pipeline?
- Turfed football field
- Renovated Brideweser Stadium grandstands
- Paying the “mortgage” for the new high school
Why did the district build a new high school vs. renovating the old high school?
- The old high school was not up to current building codes
- The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) determined it would cost MORE to renovate the old high school than to replace the building
- If the district chose to renovate, the OFCC would not have committed any resources
Did the State help pay for the new high school?
- The district partnered with the OFCC to build the new high school
- At the time of construction, the co-funded split was 71% state and 29% local
- The district participated in the Expedited Local Partnership Plan, meaning the district paid all of the costs upfront and will be reimbursed for the state share when it is our turn to receive funding
What will the ballot language say?
"Shall a tax levy substituting for an existing levy be imposed by the Fairless Local School District the purpose of providing for the necessary requirements of the school district in the initial sum of $1,883,460 and a levy of taxes be made outside of the ten-mill limitation estimated by the county auditor to require 3.6 mills for each $1 of taxable value, which amounts to $110 for each $100,000 of the county auditor's appraised value
for the initial year of the tax, for a period of 10 years commencing in 2026, first due in calendar year 2026 with the sum of such tax to increase only if and as new land or real property improvements not previously taxed by the school district are added to its tax list? FOR THE TAX LEVY AGAINST THE TAX LEVY"
What is our enrollment doing? Up down?
Fairless Local School’s enrollment, like most rural schools in Ohio, has been declining over time. Currently, the
district serves 1,350 students. As enrollment changes, the district has been adjusting staff levels accordingly.
Just like at home, maintaining a balanced budget for the school district is often a tough job. There are currently several pieces of legislation being debated at the state level that, if passed, would have a significant impact on funding of Fairless Local Schools. Examples of this legislation include:
HB 96 as proposed - The Biennial Budget - flatlines the state funds received by Fairless Local Schools, but also includes a mechanism that would reduce local funding.
SB 2- Will reduce the tax rate on utilities, like electric infrastructure and natural gas pipelines resulting in a loss of revenue for schools.
There are also around 30 bills being considered (including HB335) that are designed to provide property tax relief. The recent spike in property values has resulted in the taxpayers seeing unprecedented increases in their bills. This is an extraordinarily complex issue in Ohio, but ultimately all the currently proposed legislation will result in less revenue for Fairless Local Schools.
Will Fairless Local Schools receive more revenue as a result of increased property values? Yes. But it is important to note that the district’s state share of revenue has been frozen for almost a decade. The only way the district maintains a balanced budget is through increases in local revenue.
What is the district doing to prepare in uncertain times? At its March Regular Meeting, the Board of Education approved a plan to reduce expenditures which will cumulatively save $3 million dollars over next 5 years. While every effort has been made to keep cuts from impacting students, every person employed in our district impacts students in one way or another. Reductions to date include:
- 4 teaching positions (Grade 1, HS English Language Arts, Spanish, Grade 7) . Losing these positions will result in increased class sizes and the loss of Spanish as an elective at Fairless Middle School
- 9 paraprofessional aide/tutorial positions - these positions reflect reductions in classroom support districtwide and the tutorial program from Fairless High School
- Reduced Educational Service Center Support - these part time positions provided math coaching for staff, curriculum support, and technology support
- Summer programming - the district will no longer provide summer programming or summer credit recovery
- Curriculum Supplementals - these reductions include the ACT test for sophomores, core curriculum supplementals, and programming like the Guys with Ties and Girls with Pearls program
- Shared Administrative Services - the district is actively studying the possibility of shared food service administration with Canton Local Schools and will pursue other opportunities as they arise
Will the district pursue renewing the substitute emergency levy? Yes. This levy, first passed in 1996, represents over 10% of the district’s annual budget. This levy is necessary to provide our students a high quality education while maintaining a balanced budget.
How is the district planning for the future? Just like you would have a savings account for unexpected things at your home, the district maintains a cash balance. This cash balance is how we plan for maintenance, improvements, and unexpected repairs. Currently, the district has cash set aside to prepare for the following:
- Roof replacements at Fairless Elementary School, Fairless Middle School, and bus maintenance facility.
- Bus replacements - Fairless maintains a fleet of 17 buses and it is our goal to not have buses over 10 years old on the road for daily routes.
- Asphalt maintenance, repair, and replacement.
- Athletic Facilities - the district is saving for field turf replacement, visitors grandstand replacement, and maintenance of existing facilities.
In addition, the district also is working to save dollars for the maintenance, repair, or replacement of things like boilers, HVAC, windows, etc.
