Residents are providing a mixture of opinions on school funding measures that three Northwest Indiana school districts are seeking to extend next week.
Duneland School Corp., Lake Central School Corp. and Hanover Community School Corp. are all seeking to renew their existing operating referendums during special elections set for Nov. 4.
The efforts come as state lawmakers approved Senate Enrolled Act 1 earlier this year. It includes gradually increasing deductions for homeowners that'll lower the amount taxable on their primary residence. Additionally, the law includes a new tax credit that'll allow them to take 10%, up to a maximum of $300, off the amount billed on their home.
The property tax reforms are projected to reduce property taxes across the state by around $1.3 billion over the next three years. School districts in Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties are set to lose nearly $115 million in property tax revenue during that time period.
Additionally, SEA 1 limited all school referendum ballot questions to general elections in even-numbered years starting July 1. However, the three districts were able to seek renewals of their referendums this fall due to an exception in the law for school boards that passed a resolution to seek a referendum on the November ballot by June 30.
Hanover Schools are asking voters to renew its operating referendum at the current rate of 29 cents per $100 of net assessed value for another eight years.
If extended, the referendum would generate over $5 million per year for the district, and would be used to provide transportation services, support teacher retention, maintain class sizes and keep school resource officers in each school building.
Voters first approved the measure in 2015, and renewed it with over 60% support in 2020.
Duneland Schools are seeking to renew its operating referendum at a rate of 39 cents per $100 of net assessed value for eight years, up from the current rate of 22 cents.
The referendum was first approved by voters in 2012 and was previously extended with over 73% support in 2019.
If renewed again, the additional property tax levy would generate over $16 million annually for the district and be used to continue providing competitive salaries to attract and retain teachers and staff, pay for school resource officers, counselors, academic interventionists and instruction coaches, as well as expand its Advanced Placement, dual credit and career technical education offerings, school officials say.
Heather Krueger, a parent of a Liberty Intermediate School student, said she has been happy with class sizes in the district, as well as the additional academic support and extracurricular programs provided to her child and other students.
She worries such programs could be cut if the referendum isn't renewed.
"I would hate to see things that keep kids engaged in school taken away, because there's a lot of kids in our community that don't have the funds to do those types of things outside of school," said Krueger.
District leaders have warned that without the referendum extension, the district would have to begin the process of cutting up to 20% of its budget.
However, John Doyle, a homeowner in Chesterton, takes issue with the district's plan to place unbudgeted referendum funds in a rainy day fund.
"I think right now, it's kind of, 'We're going to reach and grab what we can, we don't need all of it, but we're going to take it anyway,'" said Doyle.
During a budget presentation Oct. 9, Duneland school officials stated that they planned to levy the maximum rate of the operating referendum next year in order to save those unbudgeted funds for future years, when it is anticipated that they'll be forced to levy at a lower rate.
Meanwhile, Lake Central schools are seeking to renew its operating referendum at an increased rate of 26.13 cents per $100 of net assessed value for eight years. Currently, the rate is at 17 cents.
If renewed, the referendum would provide the district with $17.7 million annually, with that revenue being used to hire SROs, nurses, reading specialists, math coaches, maintain smaller class sizes and support AP and dual credit courses, Superintendent Larry Veracco previously told The Times.
According to Veracco, the district could face over 200 job cuts if the referendum is not renewed.
For Samantha Deleon, a Schererville resident, she sees education as the most important aspect of a community, saying that she sees added benefits to a good educational system, including higher property values and higher levels of education.
Deleon said she has two preschool-aged children and hasn't decided whether she'll enroll them in private school or public school, but that she'll support the referendum regardless of whether or not her children attend Lake Central schools.
"It's the right thing to do to support our community and our kids," she said.
Joe Cascone, who lives in Dyer, said he moved to Indiana, in part, because of the property tax circuit breakers that cap taxes at 1% of a home's assessed value. He sees the referendum as undermining those tax caps.
He argues that the district should have sought to find other forms of revenue and made cuts to make up the difference in the referendum funding instead of seeking another renewal.
"Cut the waste," said Cascone. "Do the business of educating our children smarter, not costlier."
Early voting in the referendum special elections runs until noon on Nov. 3.
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