BY JOHN A. DARNELL JR.
      associate editor
      With annual appropriations for the July 1, 2026 - June 20, 2027 fiscal year set at $76.092 million, the Boardman Local School District will have a $4.647 million current expenses levy on the November general election ballot that if approved will cost taxpayers $130 for every $100,000 of property valuation.
      Addressing a Boardman Civic Association informational forum held last week at Boardman Park, the district’s superintendent opened his remarks noting “Let me be clear...This is a renewal, not new money. You will not be paying more than you’re already paying.
      “This fixed-sum levy renews a measure originally passed in 2012,” Chris Neifer said, adding if approved, the levy will costs property owners in the school district 36-cents a day for every $100,000 of property valuation.”
      Neifer said that “this money matters more now than ever.
      “The funding is critical, especially as we navigate the second year under the state of Ohio’s abandoned fair school funding formula.
      “Here’s what we’re facing---Boardman Local Schools have lost over $4 million in state funding,” Neifer said, noting the state formula for funding schools is frozen at 2022 levels.
      “That’s five years of inflation and rising expenses that have been left unaccounted for. We’ve also lost an additional $500,000 recent when (Mahoning) County rolled back it’s 2.5 per cent property tax,” the superintendent said, adding that the levy on the ballot provides monies for the system’s general revenue fund, “the backbone of out daily operations.”
      Neifer said the general fund supports “things like personnel, salaries and benefits for teachers, administrators and staff who work with ‘your’ children everyday, as well as educational materials like textbooks, workbooks, technology and classroom supplies,” in addition to utilities and transportation costs.
      Neifer said the rate of inflation makes each dollar from 2012 worth only about 69-cents today.
      “Despite this, we stretch every dollar to remain good stewards of [taxpayer dollars] while providing excellent educational opportunities for our students,” the superintendent said.
      He said funding provided by the levy “represents a vital portion of our budget that directly supports the programs and services our students depend on, adding community support :enables us to maintain our tradition of excellence and keep Boardman Schools smart and strong.”
      According to the audits provided by the Ohio Auditor of State’s Office, enrollment in the Boardman Local School District has dropped by 958 students in the last 25 years, however the district employs 37 more certificated staffers and 53 more non-certificated staff members than it did in 2000.
      A state auditor’s report for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2025 said that 3,741 students were enrolled in Boardman Local Schools.
      For the current 2026-27 academic year, Supt. Neifer said enrollment is now 3,271 students.
      Recently concluded negotiations with the system’s teachers’ union provided no increase in the starting salary for teachers however boosted pay for more tenured teachers, approximately 150 staff members, at a cost of $169,000, according to Treasurer Arthur Ginnetti.
      The treasurer also noted negotiations with non-certified staff members that were finalized this summer provided a 2 per cent pay hike at a cost of $165,000.