Schools

Solon Schools Prepares For Another Round Of Budget Talks

Solon Schools Treasurer Tim Pickana spoke recently about the upcoming budget discussions in Columbus, and how the the district needs to stay vigilant to protect its interests.

With state budget talks expected to heat up in Columbus after the November elections, Solon Schools officials say they have to stay vigilant to protect the district's financial interests.

Budget negotiations for the previous bi-annual budget lead Solon Schools into a crisis mode because of fears the district would lose millions of dollars a year. That led to a packed-auditorium meeting with residents about the jobs and programs that would have to be cut to make ends meet.

The district was able to rally support in Columbus to get changes to the budget and lessen the financial impact.Β 

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But at a recent school board meeting, Treasurer Tim Pickana said everyone needs to stay focused on protecting the district as budget talks begin.

"We just need to be on our toes and remember what we faced a couple of years ago," Pickana told the school board.

Find out what's happening in Solonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Of particular importance to Solon is the tangible personal property (TPP) tax, which is being phased out. The district lose $1.2 million in TPP re-imbursement money last year, and an additional $1.2 million this year. Those losses are expected to continue into the future.

Pickana said budget talks likely won't begin until after the elections. He said he and other school officials plan to be pro-active in addressing state legislators about their concerns about TPP and other budget issues.

"I anticipate some of this picking up and getting hot at the beginning of next calendar year," Pickana said.


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