From the Northwest Indiana Times:
The School Town of Munster will not seek a referendum in November asking taxpayers for more money.
In a special board meeting Tuesday morning, School Board President Paula Nellans, reading from a prepared statement, said the referendum is canceled based on input from the new administration and community members over the past three months.
"School funding continues to be a difficult issue in this state," Nellans read. "State cuts made to public education in the last three years total nearly $1 billion and yet the state surplus has risen to over $2 billion. The School Town of Munster per pupil funding is the 10th lowest in the state, ranking 348th out of 357 public, charter and virtual schools."
Nellans said the School Town of Munster has made numerous budget cuts, including administration, teachers and staff, which have resulted in an annual savings of $3.2 million.
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A couple of weeks ago, Sopko said a committee of 40 people was charged with looking at the school system's budget to determine if there was a need for a referendum.
The committee recommended a general fund referendum be placed on the November ballot asking taxpyers to pay an additional 22 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. A homeowner whose house was valued at $220,000 would have an increase of about $168 a year on the property tax bill.
If the school town moved forward and voters approved the referendum, it would have raised $3 million a year for the next seven years.
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http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/munster/school-town-of-munster-cancels-referendum-vote-for-now/article_116037eb-6ce8-52e5-a66e-4b39c0253134.html
