DUBOIS — Voters in the Northeast Dubois school district will vote on a property tax referendum in this year’s November general election.
All registered voters in Hall, Marion, Columbia and Harbison townships can vote on the measure that will allow the school corporation to levy an additional 18 cents per $100 of assessed value in property taxes to cover a $600,000 deficit caused by falling enrollment and a drop in state funding per student.
“Since 2008, our revenue from the state has declined $600,000, and in a $6 million budget, that’s 10 percent. It’s quite a bit,” Northeast Dubois Superintendent Bill Hochgesang said.
The process of getting the referendum on the ballot began last fall when the corporation hired Brookston-based Administrator Assistance to run a general fund feasibility study. The general fund pays for schools’ everyday operations expenses like employee salaries and other bills.
During the study, Administrator Assistance found that patrons like Northeast Dubois as is — small class sizes, parents and teachers who get to know students.
“The only way to maintain that then is to run the referendum and raise taxes,” Hochgesang said.
A vote yes political action committee called Save The Jeeps formed to represent all of Northeast Dubois County, Hochgesang said. The PAC exists to dispel rumors and opinions surrounding the referendum. Lately, Hochgesang said, he’s been asked if the 18 cents will be enough. He believes it will. Next year’s graduation class will be smaller, meaning that the corporation will no longer lose state general fund money based on the senior class being larger than the kindergarten class. This year will also be the final year in a nine-year cycle that lessened the amount of money the corporation was accustomed to receiving per child to the general fund.
“Those two things will help stabilize us, but the referendum will help us maintain and maybe give a raise to our employees for the first time in five years,” Hochgesang said.
Without a referendum, the corporation will have to cut teachers instead of offering raises. With the teacher cuts will also come cuts to extracurricular activities. If activities are eliminated, more students will likely leave the corporation, eventually forcing it to consolidate with nearby schools.
“If we were to consolidate, we may not all consolidate with one school corporation.” Hochgesang said. “I’m not sure of the process on that. I don’t even want to think about it.”
That would mean no more Eugene the Jeep, as well as a higher property tax rate for parents. When schools consolidate, they assume the tax rate of the corporation they join. For 2016, Northeast Dubois has the lowest tax rate in the county at 79 cents per $100 of assessed value. The next lowest was Southeast Dubois with a 99-cent rate. Even with an additional 18 cents, Northeast Dubois will still be the cheapest.
A referendum tax impact calculator is available on the corporation’s website for people wanting to know how much their taxes will increase. To run the calculator, patrons will need the assessed value of their property. Hochgesang also said he’d be happy to speak with community groups about the school’s deficit and the importance of the referendum. He can be reached at the school phone number, 812-678-2781. An information session is set for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 9, in the Dubois Middle School multipurpose room, where community members can ask questions.
In addition to the vote yes campaign, Save the Jeeps is encouraging voters to vote in November for people who prioritize education and who are willing to restructure how the general fund is funded.
In the end, it’s about giving students the best education possible and the opportunities they need; however, to get that done, the corporation is calling on the community for help.
“We took it to the people to say what they want,” Hochgesang said. “In the end, the people will say, ‘Here’s what we want.”
© 2010 - 2024 Jasper Herald Company. All Rights Reserved.