Craig Howell EXPLAINING RATES – Hancock County Schools Chief School Business Official Erin Harvey explained the estimated levy rates and revenues expected for the 2026-2027 school year during a March 23 hearing held by the county board of education. A second hearing, to be held April 21, also must be held.

NEW CUMBERLAND – As part of its annual budget process, and to meet state code, Hancock County Schools is conducting a series of public hearings concerning the district’s levy rates.

The first meeting was held prior to the March 23 board of education meeting, with the second meeting to be held on the third Tuesday in April – April 21, at a time yet to be announced.

“This is our public meeting for our levy approval,” noted Superintendent Walt Saunders at the beginning of the March 23 meeting, explaining, as with the board’s regular meetings, the agenda for the levy meeting also had been approved by the state Superintendent of Schools.

Erin Harvey, the district’s chief school business official, noted she had provided board members with a packet of information which included a comparison of levy rates and tax revenue from the current 2025-2026 fiscal year to projections for the 2026-2027 fiscal year which begins July 1.

“The levy collections are based on the assessed values provided by the county assessor,” Harvey explained.

Harvey noted Hancock County Schools has three active levies – the first established through state code which has a maximum rate of 19.48 cents per $100 of assessed value on Class I property; the county’s excess levy last renewed in 2022; and the bond levy approved by voters in 2024.

According to Harvey, as well as a legal advertisement published Monday, the assessed tax valuations in the county are set to bring in $8,482,062 through the regular levy for the current fiscal year, with an anticipated $8,337,543 to be brought in through tax assessments for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

While those tax revenues will be lower, it was noted adjustments made by the Legislature to the state’s school aid formula should assist in keeping the revenues balanced when compared to the current year.

“That decrease will be made up in the state aid formula, so we really won’t see that,” Harvey noted.

The excess levy, which began assessment in 2024 and is set to last for five years, is anticipated to also see a reduction in funds brought into the school system, going from the current level of $10,034,192 to an estimated $9,863,343 for the next fiscal year.

Rates for the county excess levy are set at 22.95 cents per $100 on Class I properties, 45.9 cents per $100 on Class II properties, 91.8 cents per $100 on Class III properties, and 91.8 cents per $100 on Class IV properties.

“The rates are remaining the same, we’ll just have less coming in,” Saunders said.

For the bond levy, approved by voters in 2024, estimates show potential gross revenue for the next year of $3,717,557 to be put toward the projects stipulated under the bond levy call.

The revenue is based on levy rates of 8.65 cents per $100 on Class I property; 17.30 cents per $100 on Class II; 34.60 cents per $100 on Class III; and 34.60 cents per $100 on Class IV properties, according to the legal advertisement.

(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com)