From the Northwest
Indiana Times:
Munster school leaders are considering a referendum for the November ballot.
Munster Superintendent Richard Sopko said the district is looking at an increase of 22 cents per $100 of assessed valuation to raise about $3 million each year for seven years. He said that would mean a homeowner whose house is valued at $220,000 would have an increase of about $168 a year on the property tax bill.
"The school board has not voted on it yet," Sopko said. "No decision has been made. We put together a committee and that was the conclusion the committee reached. They said we needed an increase in our general fund to maintain our programs, and the best avenue for that was a referendum."
This will be the fourth time a local school district has gone directly to taxpayers to ask for more money. In May, voters in the Duneland School Corp. approved a $39.9 million seven-year referendum to offset a funding deficit. In May 2011, Crown Point residents approved a $35 million general referendum.
In November 2011, Lake Central school voters approved a $160 million construction referendum to rebuild Lake Central High School and Protsman Elementary School. That was the second time the issue was put before voters. The victory in November represented years of discussion about growing enrollment, overcrowding and aging facilities.
"We are reviewing our options right now," Munster School Board member Paula Nellans said. "We don't know if we are going to approve it or not. But if we decide to go with a referendum, it has to be approved by the (school) board at our July meeting."
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Part of the information Sopko presented to the panel included details about $3.2 million in cuts that had been made in the district in 2010. He said teachers have not had a pay raise in 2010, 2011 and 2012, and the deferred costs amount to $1.1 million. He said teachers also voluntarily increased their health care costs by $302,000.
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/munster/munster-school-leaders-eye-referendum/article_d6fae23f-ff9c-5172-b37d-65e270592dc8.html
