From the Muncie Star-Press:
A week from today, people will be going to the polls to vote for or against the Muncie Community Schools bus referendum.
The special election will be Nov. 5. A yes vote will mean an increase in property taxes that will keep the buses running after this school year. A no vote will mean that transportation will not be provided by the school district for the 2014-15 school year.
The district is not required by law to provide transportation for its students. On the flip side, it is illegal for districts to charge children to ride the school buses.
Polling sites have been consolidated to cut down on costs — the district will be billed about $40,000 to hold this election during an off time. Some have said that this was meant to “confuse” voters.
This map will show you what precinct you live in.
Muncie Community Schools Chief Financial Officer Mark Burkhart said that isn’t the case.
“We had nothing to do with combining election sites,” he said last week. The county election board, citing an anticipated lower turnout than during other elections, consolidated the sites.
“We don’t see that as a negative, going to voting centers,” he added.
A yes vote will increase property taxes in order for the district to collect the $3.325 million needed for its transportation fund, which will operate the regular buses, buses for special needs students and extra-curricular buses.
A person who owns a home valued at $75,000, with normal homestead deductions, will pay $36.83 for the year.
The tax rate, voted by the board earlier this month when it approved the 2014 budget, was set at about 22 cents for every $100 of assessed property value. That is the maximum for 2014, Burkhart said.
But, after receiving the estimated property assessment for 2014, Burkhart said the rate could be closer to 19 cents (18.97 cents) in order to get the district the $3.3 million it needs to keep the buses running.
Burkhart said the assessed value estimate is $1,606,307,601, and with the added TIF district estimate of $146,592,154, the total estimate for 2014 is $1,752,899,755.
If this holds, the cost for that $75,000 home would be $31.30 for the year.
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http://www.thestarpress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013310290010
