Ron Ross
Voters in Edinburgh have chosen to increase their property taxes over the next eight years in order to raise teacher salaries, increase school security, hire bus drivers and buy additional school buses.
Voters in Johnson County’s Blue River Township and Bartholomew County’s German Township voted for the measure, 66% to 34%. The tax hike will raise the education contribution of property owners in Blue River Township about 40%, to $1.45 for every $100 of assessed value from $1.06. Bartholomew County residents in German Township who live within the school district’s boundaries will also be subject to the hike.
The increase will 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 will pay an additional $31.77 a month. Translated to annual figures, the owner of a $96,800 home will pay about $120 more, while the owner of a $200,000 home will pay about $381 more. All figures are estimates from Baker Tilly U.S. LLP, a Chicago-based public accounting and consulting firm.
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 fewer state dollars, the equivalent of 10 first-year teacher salaries and benefits. The referendum will raise about $700,000 a year for the school district, according to the figures.
The successful referendum was vital for Edinburgh schools, superintendent Ron Ross said in a statement.
“Tonight, we celebrate an absolutely wonderful night for the students, parents, teachers, staff and the Edinburgh community. We worked together to remain consistent, accessible and transparent throughout this very public campaign to garner the support of residents of our Edinburgh Community Schools,” Ross said. “Tonight, voters in our community invested in our future. We will remain transparent in the use of the referendum dollars approved tonight. We look forward to continuing to preserve one of Indiana’s most historic and storied school districts.”
Previously, Ross said, if the referendum failed, the school district would have to consider consolidation due to continually decreasing funds.
The decrease in state money has resulted in first-year teachers making the state minimum of $40,000 a year. Ross said he feared a failed referendum would result in further monetary losses, staff members leaving, a continued inability to bus all students to school and further decreases in student enrollment, all resulting in the possible closure of Edinburgh schools or consolidation with another school district.
“The school provides a sense of unity and community pride. Our athletic events are packed at every home event with faithful Lancer fans. The loss of our school means no more Friday night lights. We will lose local control of our school district and a voice in what happens to our students. If Edinburgh loses its school, the town will suffer as a result. People will relocate closer to where their students attend school. They will no longer frequent the local businesses, churches (and) parks. Property values will plummet,” Ross said in April. “Approving our referendum ensures that we retain local control of our schools, avoid consolidation, protect our community and property values, and ensure that the school and its programs remain a central source for community unity and pride.”
Edinburgh schools is the third Johnson County school district to pass a property tax referendum in the past four years, with Clark-Pleasant schools passing one in Nov. 2018 for mental health and school security. Franklin schools had a successful referendum effort in May 2019 for teacher salary raises and mental health support, although a Center Grove effort in Nov. 2019 to increase mental health services and school security was unsuccessful.
How you voted
To approve the Edinburgh schools referendum:
YES: 66.36%
NO: 33.64%
