April 6, 2026
From Mark Hensen,
Pickerington Board of Education Member

This represents my views and does not reflect those of the PLSD Board of Education (BOE) or my colleagues. I’m speaking for myself, NOT the board.

The PLSD levy issue on the ballot on May 5th is fairly simple to understand (once explained), but it is not necessarily easy to accept or do. This is a five-part series of letters to the editor – the first two parts address “simple” and the last three parts reflect “but not easy”.

Simple – Part 1: Revenues

PLSD is running out of money and will be in a negative cash balance situation by Fiscal Year 29 (FY29), starting in July 2028, and by law, we cannot have a negative cash balance

• PLSD revenue projections take into account the current FY26/27 state funding &methodology
• PLSD revenue projections take into account ALL property tax revenue, INCLUDING the recent property reevaluations
  – This includes PLSD receiving additional revenue each year for new construction (one-time only), inside millage, and now being on the “20mil floor”
  – PLSD property tax revenue is otherwise limited by HB920, which keeps the voted funding level constant by reducing effective tax rates as property valuations increase
  – It also includes 3.1mils falling off residents’ property taxes at the end of 2026 due to some bond levy debt being paid off (this equals $325.50 for a $300,000 home)
• PLSD revenue projections take into account the current 1.0% school district income tax
  – This revenue goes up as the population grows, but is also subject to potential decreases during a recession