ANDERSON — The Anderson Community Schools board is asking voters to approve a property tax hike that would have area residents paying 55 cents more for every $100 of assessed value.
This means a taxpayer whose property has an assessed value of $50,000 after all deductions, for example, would owe up to an extra $275 if the referendum passes in November.
During Tuesday’s school board meeting, five members voted in favor of the referendum with Tobi Jones standing as the lone dissent.
Board member Keith Millikan was absent from the board meeting.
The school system is facing budget deficits stemming from property tax caps and recently cut 160 staff members.
“In order to balance the budget, you must have both revenue enhancement and expense control,” Superintendent Felix Chow said.
Due to requirements that the referendum be filed with the county by Aug. 1, the board was forced to vote on the referendum Tuesday.
The tax hike is estimated to draw between $7.5 million and $8 million in revenue for the cash-strapped district.
Voters have the right to vote the measure down on Nov. 2, but Chow said the board has a responsibility to put the referendum on the ballot.
“It is at least our duty to ask the question to the public,” he said.
The referendum will ask the following question on the general election ballot: “For the seven calendar years immediately following the holding of the referendum, shall the Anderson Community School Corporation impose a property tax rate that does not exceed fifty five cents ($0.55) on each one hundred dollars ($100) of assessed valuation and that is in addition to the school corporation’s normal tuition support tax rate?”
“How are people going to survive in the community?” resident Rebecca Stratton asked aloud after the meeting adjourned.
Stratton said the hike would mean an extra $800 on her tax bill.
“Think about people who have low-income jobs,” she said.
Resident Heither Roy was puzzled by the referendum vote. “Other towns can do it with the money they have coming in, why do we need a tax increase?”
“They’re not interested in what the majority wants, but they want us to approve a tax hike,” Patty McCool said, discouraged by the school board’s voting record.
Anderson High School teacher Tom Wegner said he doesn’t think voters will approve the tax hike unless the school shows that an increase would lead to programs that improve education.
“If they use the money to support the same problems we’ve always had, there will be no chance for success,” Wegner said.
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