EDITORIAL: Indiana Senate plan leaves schools hanging

The Journal Gazette

When Indiana lawmakers came up short on education dollars in 2003, they gave school districts the authority to levy a higher property tax rate to pay for most utility and insurance costs, essentially pushing the tax increase off on school boards.

Now, after allowing schools to meet budget obligations with the additional property tax revenues for six years, Senate leaders suddenly propose taking that authority away. That would leave Indiana schools staring at a $175 million shortfall.