Bartholomew County voters have a decision to make this election cycle.
The Bartholomew County School Corp. is asking residents of the county to pay an additional $.156 on assessed valuation of real property. With a median assessed value of $141,800 for homes in the county, that works out to be $7.79 per month.
As to whether or not that’s a significant amount? Well, $7.79 is relative and for many, not an easy decision. Purse string issues never are because purses are different sizes.
Superintendent Jim Roberts and his team from BCSC made rounds early on, talking to any group of individuals who would grant them an audience to talk about BCSC’s referendum.
In addition, there were public meetings for those individuals who were not a member of any particular group to attend, learn more about the issue, and ask questions.
Once Bartholomew County went into lockdown mod, meetings obviously stopped, and the school corporation, sensitive to the times, pulled back on the public information campaign.
There were questions when we sat down with Roberts and BCSC Assistant Superintendent Financial Services Chad Phillips, to learn more about the referendum pre-lockdown. Both men were candid in their answers and that’s what we saw and reported on in those early public meetings.
Few people are a fan of taxes or tax increases, and we count ourselves among that group. Most have bemoaned state and federal taxes at some point, whether it’s the tax rate, amount or how tax dollars are spent because we don’t often feel like we have a voice in any of those things.
When local tax initiatives come along, it’s a different ball game. We have an opportunity to decide for ourselves what’s important and how much.
BCSC has been very specific about how it intends to allocate revenue from this referendum. They plan to offer detailed information on the district’s website so patrons can watch how money comes in and how it goes out.
So, it’s not as if revenue from this referendum is going into a black hole with a “trust us” ask from school officials. They’ve been upfront and very specific about how the money will be spent.
Those individuals who live on a fixed income have, arguably, the most difficult decision to make. We would remind those folks that someone, at some point in time, had to make similar decisions that have impacted their education.
There are few times when we have an opportunity to make a statement about what the future might hold. There are few times in a person’s life when a decision they make today could impact the lives of many others for a long time.
BCSC’s referendum is one such time when we get to stand up and say, “this is how and what we think about the future of our county.”
A lot of people like to talk about the “Columbus Way.” Is that a trite, over-used expression or does it really mean something?
If the “Columbus Way” means something, and we think it does because there is plenty of evidence around that demonstrates it’s an actionable expression, voters will support this request for a reasonable investment in our future.
