By Andy Bell-Baltaci | Daily Journal
For The Republic
EDINBURGH — For years, the student population at Edinburgh schools has been shrinking, and the district has been struggling to make ends meet with the money it gets from property taxes and the state of Indiana.
Now, Edinburgh schools is considering a property tax hike in the form of a referendum that would fund additional programming, raises for teachers and school buses.
Programming improvements would include pursuing certification in science, technology, engineering and math — or STEM — at Edinburgh Community High School and Edinburgh Community Middle School, to join East Side Elementary School, which is already STEM certified. The district would also hire a teacher for English language learners, said Ronald Ross, superintendent.
If approved by voters, it would raise property taxes in Blue River and German townships by 40 cents for every $100 of assessed value for eight years, which would raise about $720,000 a year. The owner of a $100,000 home would pay $10.22 more a year, and the owner of a $200,000 home would pay $32.58 more a year, according to district documents put together by Baker Tilly U.S. LLP, a Chicago-based public accounting and consulting firm.
For the referendum question to make its way onto ballots in May, the school board and Johnson County and Bartholomew County election boards would have to approve it. The referendum question will likely go before the school board in December or January, Ross said.
For the complete story, see Tuesday’s Republic.
