Edinburgh schools plans to ask voters in its district to increase their property taxes to support raises for teachers and enhanced school safety.
The tax hike would raise the education contribution of property owners in Blue River Township about 40%, from about $1.06 for every $100 of assessed value to about $1.45. German Township residents who live within the school district’s boundaries would also be subject to the hike. The increase would cost the owner of a $96,800 home, which is the median home value in the district, an additional $9.97 a month, while the owner of a $200,000 home would pay an additional $31.77 a month. All figures are estimates from Baker Tilly U.S. LLP, a Chicago-based public accounting and consulting firm. Translated to annual figures, the owner of a $96,800 home would pay about $120 more, while the owner of a $200,000 home would pay about $381 more.
The Edinburgh school board unanimously approved placing the referendum question on the spring ballot. The primary election is May 3.
The need for a referendum comes as Edinburgh schools finds itself in the midst of declining student population, down almost 10% since the 2015-16 school year, which has resulted in about $600,000 less in state dollars, the equivalent of 10 first-year teacher salaries and benefits, superintendent Ron Ross said.
If successful, the referendum would raise an estimated $701,590 a year over the course of eight years.
Measures would include improving school entrance security and increasing the number of security cameras at the schools, as well as stop arms cameras for school buses and teacher raises, Ross said.
“The loss of students has been across all grade levels, which makes it hard to adjust programming. We still have the same needs, but less students to generate the money to fund those needs,” he said. “This makes it very difficult to compete with larger and growing districts in terms of salaries, wages and academic programming.”
This is the fourth referendum in Johnson County schools since 2018.
In November 2018, 57% of voters passed a referendum that allowed Clark-Pleasant schools to raise money for mental health and school security. Franklin schools also had a successful referendum in May 2019, when 63% of voters approved a property tax hike that allowed the district to raise teacher salaries and provide mental health support. Center Grove schools proposed a referendum in November 2019, but 64% of voters rejected the measure that would have raised $24.8 million for safety and security efforts, as well as mental health and behavioral support for students.
