Overview

• House Bill 309 clarifies county budget commissions’ authority to roll back levies deemed unnecessary or excessive and establishes a five-year safe harbor for new levies.
• House Bill 129 changes what counts toward the 20-mill floor by including fixed-sum levies and income taxes, lifting about 237 school districts off the floor to permit further rate reductions.
• The bills passed with bipartisan support — 75-19 for HB 309 and 81-16 for HB 129 — and now head to the Senate for consideration.
• Democrats warn that earlier removal of emergency and substitute levies wiped out state credits near $100 million, with the impact deferred five years by a recent amendment.
• Superintendents caution the changes could shrink school revenues and force cuts, including a Poland Local estimate of up to $6.9 million, while sponsors emphasize transparency and restraint on unvoted tax spikes.