From the Northwest Indiana Times:
School officials in Michigan City are now staring at tough decisions after voters Tuesday in Michigan City and Pine Township in Porter County defeated a request for a property tax increase to close a more than $4 million budget deficit.
"We have our job now cut out for us," said Beryle Burgwald, a School Board member.
The board may start discussing what to do at its next regular session Tuesday.
There were strong indications about eliminating teachers and closing schools during the campaign but there are other options like redistricting to save on costs and borrowing money to close the budget hole.
"I don't know what's going to transpire," said Jim Kintzele, School Board vice president.
By a 57 to 43 percent margin, residents voted against a tax increase that would have meant a more than $50 increase in the annual property tax bill for average homeowners.
The money generated would have closed the deficit still remaining after more than $7 million in cuts had been made over the past two years by eliminating 100 teaching, administrative and nonteaching positions.
The school district has $91 million in outstanding debt mostly from construction projects.
Burgwald said the district has exceeded its state bonding capacity limit but could still borrow by creating a holding corporation to secure a note to get around the law. But Burgwald said he frowns on the idea of going deeper into debt.
He said another referendum next year is another option but wonders if that would be successful given the trouncing by voters despite the efforts of a public relations firm to help build enough public support.
Burgwald said closing schools might not be enough due to the costs associated with still having to maintain those buildings.
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http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/laporte/michigan-city/michigan-city-school-officials-face-big-decisions-after-referendum-defeat/article_e8785f8b-dc0a-5cc0-a34b-086dcf7d4d90.html
