Teachers statewide made their voices heard on Nov. 19 during the Red for Ed action day. More than 100 Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. educators were among the throngs that lobbied for education reform.
The BCSC school board appears to have been listening. Following the lead of other school corporations across Indiana, they will ask the public to approve a property tax increase. Teachers want, among other things, increased salaries. BCSC is trying to make that happen, asking for the public to help pay for increased teacher and support staff salaries, along with other needs.
Indiana’s teachers are among the lowest paid in the country. They deserve better, something they effectively shouted in a unified voice last month.
When the school board approved seeking an operational referendum in Monday’s meeting, they took a step toward helping their staff. A recommendation on an actual referendum will be made in January, with the public vote coming on the May primary election ballot.
They’ve been down this road before. It didn’t work. And this time, the asking price is much greater.
In 2014, a BCSC referendum aimed at pre-K funding was rejected by voters. The school corporation was looking for $1.8 million annually through a seven-year property tax increase of 5 cents per $100 assess valuation. Now, they are looking for $9.3 million annually through an eight-year increase of 19.5 cents per $100.
That’s a big jump, but that’s only roughly $10 a month for the average home value — $141,800 — in BCSC’s tax district. The current tax rate is $0.225 less than the Indiana state average. The proposed increase would effectively raise the rate to the average.
Residents chose not to pay for pre-K funding just five years ago. Will they want to pay an even bigger tax increase now?
BCSC has been making strides to help their employees recently, from trying to clarify a new social media policy, to providing a new, radical health care alternative, to this attempt at increased funding. They agreed to a new contract with CEA that includes an average 2.5% salary increase for more than 700 teachers, and added a $400 stipend to help offset health premium costs.
This is another attempt by the school board to help its employees. Superintendent Jim Roberts said that 65% of the income generated by the referendum would go directly toward teacher and support staff raises.
That’s a nice idea, and it’s worth putting on the ballot and letting the public decide. Things have changed since the school board last attempted to use a property tax to increase funding — that much is evident from the turnout and support at the Red for Ed event. But getting people to show up for a rally and support a cause is one thing.
Getting them to open their wallets is something else entirely.
