From the Northwest Indiana Times:
Why are school corporations engaged in referendums as of late? While school referendums used to be mainly sought for an increase in property taxes for school construction projects, they are now being used to increase the funds available to cash-strapped general funds.
In 2008, state lawmakers established referendums as the mechanism for school districts to appeal to their local citizens to increase the school tax rate to add to state funding to raise enough money to fund its programs and keep current personnel employed.
For such a referendum to succeed, there are obvious advantages for wealthier communities over poorer communities. A community needs financial well-being to afford a tax increase, as well as a public and governmental belief that public education is valuable for the common good.
The Indiana Constitution recognizes that a common system of public education is in the best interests of the common good and therefore the state has a responsibility to provide an appropriate system of equitable financing, and not leave it up to the financial well-being of a local community.
The overall effect of the referendum philosophy will result in the state dividing school corporations into two categories: “have” and “have not.”
The state Legislature and Gov. Mike Pence have just signed a budget that is advertised to provide a 2 percent increase in state funding for 2014 and a 1 percent increase for 2015.
However, a significant number of school districts will receive less per year because of other factors not advertised in the school general fund formula.
...
See the full article here:
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/opinion/columnists/guest-commentary/guest-commentary-poor-state-funding-fuels-local-school-referendums/article_36becb9e-bd7f-5785-bb66-5adf11c6b8d6.html
