Why this matters now

On July 21, the Ohio House voted to override the Governor’s veto of Item 66 in the state operating budget, sending the issue to the Ohio Senate. The House did not advance Items 55 and 65, yet its leadership publicly signaled an intent to revisit them before the December 31, 2025 deadline. The Senate is therefore the decisive venue to stop harmful changes that would narrow communities’ options and destabilize district finances.

How the veto items would hurt public education

Item 66. School district property tax levy restrictions
Item 66 would eliminate key levy options that Ohio law currently authorizes: replacement levies, fixed‑sum emergency levies, substitute levies, and combined school district income and fixed‑sum property tax levies. Removing these tools strips local boards and voters of flexible, voter‑approved pathways to maintain services without continually asking for new millage. These options are established in statute, including replacement levies in R.C. 5705.192, emergency levies in R.C. 5705.194 et seq., substitute levies in R.C. 5705.199, and combined issues in R.C. 5748.09. The House override advances the elimination of these tools; the Senate can still sustain the Governor’s veto and preserve local choice.

Item 55. County Budget Commissions’ authority to reduce voter‑approved millage
Expanding County Budget Commissions’ power to cut millage on voter‑approved levies would allow a county body to undercut an election outcome and could produce non‑uniform taxation in multi‑county school districts. Ohio’s “uniform rule” requires that land and improvements be taxed by a uniform rule according to value, which is why policy that invites cross‑county disparities is problematic. County Budget Commissions do help set tax rates and certify resources, but reducing rates that voters have authorized invites legal and practical conflict.

Item 65. 20‑mill floor calculation changes
The 20‑mill floor is a guardrail in R.C. 319.301 that prevents certain school operating rates from being reduced below 20 effective mills. Proposals to count additional levy types, and even income tax amounts, toward that floor would move many districts off the floor and remove any mechanism to manage inflation without more frequent ballot issues. Analysts estimate that hundreds of Ohio districts are already at the floor, which underscores the stakes for local stability.

A little reality check with a smile: classrooms cannot be funded with hope, and payroll cannot be made with good intentions. Stable, lawful, voter‑directed tools are required.

What to ask Senators to do

1.  Vote no on the Item 66 veto override to preserve locally controlled, voter‑approved levy options.

2.  Publicly oppose any future attempts to override Items 55 and 65 before December 31, 2025, because both would erode uniform taxation and destabilize district finances.

3.  Affirm the uniform rule in Article XII, Section 2 of the Ohio Constitution and protect the integrity of voter‑approved levies.

Quick background references for outreach

• Uniform taxation principle. Ohio Constitution, Article XII, Section 2. Ohio Laws

• 20‑mill floor. R.C. 319.301 and recent bill analyses describing proposed changes to the floor calculation. gongwer-oh.comOhio Legislature

• Levy authorities preserved by the veto. Replacement levies (R.C. 5705.192), emergency levies (R.C. 5705.194 et seq.), substitute levies (R.C. 5705.199), combined income and fixed‑sum property tax levies (R.C. 5748.09). Ohio LawsOhio LawsOhio LawsOhio Laws

60‑second call script:

“Hello, my name is [Name], and I live in [City], [School District]. I am calling regarding the House action on Item 66 and the possibility of future action on Items 55 and 65.

Please vote no on the override of Item 66. Ohio law currently allows replacement, emergency, substitute, and combined levies that our community has used to maintain services without constantly seeking new millage. Eliminating these tools will force cuts to programs and staff.

Please also oppose any attempt to override Items 55 and 65 before December 31, 2025. Allowing a county commission to reduce voter‑approved millage risks non‑uniform taxation across multi‑county districts, and changing the 20‑mill floor calculation will remove the only practical inflation management many districts have.

Thank you for protecting voter intent, fiscal stability, and strong public schools.”

Tip: If asked for more information, mention Article XII, Section 2 (uniform taxation) and R.C. 319.301 (20‑mill floor). Ohio Lawsgongwer-oh.com

Email template:

Subject: Please vote no on Item 66 override and reject future overrides of Items 55 and 65

Senator [Last Name]:

On July 21, the Ohio House voted to override the Governor’s veto of Item 66. Items 55 and 65 were tabled, yet House leaders indicated they may revisit them before December 31, 2025. The Senate’s decisions will directly affect local control and the financial stability of public schools.

Request
Please vote no on the Item 66 override and oppose any future overrides of Items 55 and 65.

Rationale

• Local funding tools. Current law authorizes replacement, emergency, substitute, and combined income and fixed‑sum property tax levies. Communities use these tools to maintain services without repeated new millage requests. Eliminating them would reduce local choice and likely trigger program cuts.

• Uniform taxation. Expanding County Budget Commissions’ authority to reduce voter‑approved millage risks non‑uniform outcomes across multi‑county districts, conflicting with Article XII’s uniform rule and undermining voter intent.

• 20‑mill floor stability. The statutory floor in R.C. 319.301 prevents effective rates for current operating expenses from falling below 20 mills. Changing which levies count toward the floor would push many districts off the floor, removing a practical inflation tool and leading to more frequent ballot issues. Hundreds of districts are already at the floor.

Community impact
Loss of these tools will translate into fewer course offerings, larger class sizes, staffing reductions, and delays in technology and safety investments. Students cannot learn algebra with pixie dust, and districts cannot balance budgets with optimism.

Closing
Please vote to sustain the Governor’s veto of Item 66 and oppose any future action on Items 55 and 65. Protect voter intent, uphold constitutional uniformity, and preserve stable public-school operations.

Respectfully,
[Name]
[Address]
[Phone or Email]
[School District]

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