La PORTE — La Porte Community Schools has experienced an estimated shortfall of $12.7 million in property tax collections since the county's tax situation started in 2008.
And it didn't look like there was any way to get that money back.
At least that was the information released by corporation financial officer Greg Hunt during the La Porte Community School Board's Monday night meeting.
There, Hunt said the corporation only collected about 84 percent of its property taxes from 2008 to 2014, based on estimates from its property tax levy. He said this amounted to $12,742,773. He speculated the loss was due to the state's property tax caps, and the property taxes the county found "uncollectible."
Citing similar losses experienced by the city of La Porte, school board vice-president Mitch Feikes asked if there was any recourse to get the money back.
Hunt said he was unaware of any method at this time, and noted that the 84 percent figure was just based on previous estimates.
After the meeting, school board president Shannon Hannon said the corporation has done an excellent job of being fiscally responsible in preparing for these shortfalls.
"And kudos to Greg Hunt and is team for keeping us in the black," she said. "Moving forward, we'd ideally like to collect everything we're owed, but it's just not realistic to collect 100 percent."
She said the corporation will continue to budget modestly to move the corporation forward while being fiscally responsible.