Beech Tree News Network

The Butler County Board of Education is taking steps to increase its property tax rate from 41.6 cents to 48.4 cents per $100 of assessed value.  The proposed increase would apply to both real and personal property and would not go into effect until the 2026 tax bills.  A public hearing and called meeting for that purpose was held October 1 at the Butler County Early Childhood Center.

Several individuals attended the hearing and asked questions about the proposed tax and how the district plans to spend the additional revenue that will be generated.  Superintendent Robert Tuck and the district's chief financial officer, Travis Johnson, fielded the bulk of the questions explaining the reasons for the proposed tax increase.  The school district has also created an information page on its website (www.butlerschools.net) explaining the various financial needs of the district, which includes HVAC upgrades and basic building maintenance, among other things.  The page is located under "Funding Initiatives."    

Following the hearing, Board members unanimously approved the measure on a 4-0 vote. Board members are Dr. Amy Hood Waddle (chairperson, Third District), Rich Ellis (First District), Debbie Hammers (Second District), and Delbert Johnson (Fourth District).  Board member Ryan Daugherty (Fifth District) recently announced that he was resigning his position due to a change in residence and he was not at the meeting. The Fifth District seat will be vacant once Daugherty's resignation is accepted at the Board's October meeting. The district will then begin the process of temporarily filling that position until the next scheduled election for the office.

Below is the legal information regarding the October 1 public hearing and called meeting with proposed tax rates and the estimated revenue that will be generated.  

NOTICE OF HEARING - BUTLER COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION

The Butler County Board of Education will hold a public hearing at The Butler County Early Childhood Center on October 1, 2025 at 5:30 PM to hear public comments regarding a proposed general fund tax levy of 48.4 cents on real property and 48.4 cents on personal property.

The General Fund tax levied in fiscal year 2025 was 41.6 cents on real property and 41.6 cents on personal property and produced revenue of $2,590,773.61.

The proposed General Fund tax rate of 48.4 cents on real property and 48.4 cents on personal property is expected to produce $3,400,252.54. Of this amount, $682,317.86 is from new and personal prop-erty. The compensating tax for fiscal year 2026 is 40.4 cents on real property and 40.4 cents on personal property and is expected to produce $2,838,227.33.

The areas to which revenue of $809,478.93 above 2025 revenue is to be allocated will be Cost of Collections, $32,379.16; instruction, $334,504.92; and building fund

$442,594.85.

The General Assembly has required publication of this advertisement and information contained herein.

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According to a recent legal notice filed by the school district, 6.3 cents of the approved rate of 48.4 cents is subject to recall by voters.  According to state law, there is a 45-day window where those opposed to the tax can gather signatures on a petition and force a vote on the measure.  For additional information about the recall process, interested parties can contact Butler County Clerk Sherry Johnson.  Absent a successful recall effort, the new tax rate will take effect after 45 days from the date of approval (October 1) and will apply to 2026 tax bills.