Lake Station school officials warn the district may have to close an elementary school and halt school bus transportation if voters don't support a $5.6 million referendum on May 2.
Diminished state funding, enrollment declines, and property tax caps have combined to jeopardize the future for this small district of about 1,500 students.
Lake Station has three elementaries and a junior-senior high school. Superintendent Tom Cripliver said the district may have to shutter Polk Elementary if the referendum fails. The district notified the state in December it plans to eliminate busing in 2020. "There won't be money to pay for it if we don't have a successful referendum," he said.
By a wide margin, Lake Station voters nixed the district's bid for a $7.4 million referendum in 2015.
John Bastin, one of the leaders of a group that opposed the 2015 referendum is now a member of the school board.
In a change of heart, he said he supports the referendum and is serving as chairman of the political action committee that's touting its benefits in the community.
"We need the referendum. I've seen the books. We need the money. We want to do what's right for residents of Lake Station and the schools. Without great teachers, we won't give kids a quality education."
The referendum would provide the district with an additional $800,000 annually over a seven-year period. The owner of an average home, valued at $80,000, would pay $108 a year more in property taxes if the referendum is approved, Cripliver said.
"We're looking at $900,000 for 2017 in lost taxes to caps," he said. "That has big effect on our district." The cap loss wipes out three of the district budget funds, including transportation and capital projects.
If the referendum fails, Cripliver said Polk Elementary would likely close and 15 to 20 teachers and other staffers would lose their jobs. He said extra-curricular programs would be cut, as well.
Lake Station broached the possibility of merging with neighboring River Forest Community School Corp., but Cripliver said River Forest wasn't interested.
Meanwhile, the state budget recently approved by the Indiana House shows Lake Station losing slightly more than 9 percent in state funding in 2018 and 2019, amounting to more than $680,000. The budget bill is now in the state Senate and Cripliver is hoping senators improve the outlook.
"The General Assembly is putting more money into vouchers and charters," he said. "If you open a voucher school, you're siphoning money from public schools."