Tara Hettinger, New Albany Tribune

CLARKSVILLE — Views were mixed from the few that spoke Monday night at Clarksville Community School Corp.’s first of three public hearings on the proposed property tax referendum that, if approved, would raise taxes 24 cents per $100 of assessed valuation to those owning property in the district’s boundaries.

However, what it could possibly save would be much more, according to one board member.

“If it does not pass, [George Rogers Clark Elementary] is closing for sure. There’s no way we could keep it open,” Bill Wilson, school board president, said after the hearing. “If it passes, it’s hard to say … There are so many factors that won’t play out until later on [such as more budget cuts from the state]. I can’t say for sure on that.”

How it got to here

Interim Superintendent Kim Knott started the meeting with a PowerPoint presentation detailing how the district got to the position it’s in. She said the district has been overspending out of the general fund, which pays for student programs and salaries, for the last four out of five years.

She said the district already needed to cut $491,000 in 2010 expenses before the state announced more cuts, which means the district needs to cut $460,000 on top of that.

Not doing anything would mean depleting the cash balance, leaving the district with a deficit of $722,544, Knott said. That would mean the state would take over and likely consolidate the district she said.

The solutions

The proposed seven-year tax levy would only be for that general fund, she told the crowd of about 100 people. However, it wouldn’t save the district from cuts. The money from the levy wouldn’t be available until the end of 2011, so certified and classified staff would have to be reduced by eight to 12 people, she said. Knott said the “organizational structure” of the district would have to be questioned as well.

However, if the referendum fails, Knott said up to 20 certified staff will be cut, GRC may be closed and electives and counseling services in the elementary level would be eliminated.

If that doesn’t yield a balanced budget, the second phase includes elimination of additional classified staff and extracurricular activities at the elementary and middle school levels.

“At that point the need for consolidation becomes imminent,” Knott said.

She said if approved, the estimated impact to a $100,000 home, after all the homestead credits are applied, will be $78.60 a year, which equates to buying two less sodas at a convenience store per week. She said what residents will pay will be less than they paid in 2007, prior to the property tax changes.

The views

“I would give up four Polar Pops a week, because I believe in Clarksville schools,” said Melissa Atkins, whose children have already graduated from the school system.

“You can make it 50 cents or a dollar and I’ll pay it, because it’s our town. It’s Clarksville. Let’s have schools we can be proud of. Do you want to get ate up by Greater Clark? Look at their problems” Alan Bryant said.

However, not everyone was as eager for a tax increase.

“A tax increase for the school system would be a pay cut for the citizens,” Beth Dorsey said, adding that her husband wants to retire but can’t, due to money concerns. “... It’s not really very fair to ask the residents of Clark County to make any more sacrifices.”

Many turned their comments back to the possibility of closing GRC and said more needs to be done before closing a school or even considering doing such a thing, such as cutting art and physical education in the middle school, less high school sports and asking the Indiana Department of Education’s chief financial officer to come in and give advice, as has been offered by the department.