With 31 of 32 precincts counted, the two education referendums for Valparaiso Community Schools were declared a "landslide" victory Tuesday evening.
"That would go in anybody's book as a landslide. For Valpo, that's typical for us," School Superintendent Ric Frataccia said to a group gathered for the results.
The capital projects referendum for school construction and improvements picked up 63 percent while the operating costs referendum had 64 percent in favor.
Resident Matthew Clemens thought it was important to stop by the church to voted for the referendum at the First Baptist Church.
"My child will be going to the Valparaiso schools, though he's not old enough yet. This is my town and I want him to have a good education going forward," he said, adding he's concerned about overcrowding. "I'm willing to pay a little bit extra for my child to have a good education."
The capital projects referendum will raise $148 million to be paid off over 20 years.
The district will borrow through bonds to build a new elementary school and make improvements on seven of the eight existing elementary schools (Hayes-Leonard Elementary would close), on Valparaiso High School and on the technical school.
Frataccia said the work would over happen over three years.
The other vote was for an operating referendum and would last for seven years.
Over that time, property taxes would be used to raise $4.41 million annually to replace the $5 million lost from the school budget in 2008.
The loss came when the state shifted from funding schools through property taxes to funding them through sales taxes.