From the Muncie Star-Press:
Local state legislators are calling on Muncie residents to attend public hearings in Indianapolis this week to show their support for bus funding reform.
At a public meeting hosted by the League of Women Voters on Saturday, state Rep. Sue Errington, D-Muncie, and state Sen. Tim Lanane, D-Anderson, discussed the measures in the Indiana Legislature to address decreases in transportation funds that have affected funding for school buses across the state, including in Muncie.
“We have several ideas out there and we want to hear what people think,” Errington said Saturday at the Delaware County Senior Center where the meeting was held. “The Muncie school corporation needs to be represented at these two hearings coming up this week, but it’s helpful for other people to be there to support what the Muncie school corporation has to say ... your support will be valuable. Your presence can speak speak volumes.”
As a result of the property tax cap voted into the Indiana Constitution in 2012, the Muncie Community Schools will see an 89 percent decrease in its transportation funding.
Last November, Muncie failed to pass a referendum that would keep school buses running by increasing property taxes. In recent weeks the Indiana Department of Education informed the district it must continue bus transportation through the 2015-2016 school year before ending the service
During the meeting, Errington said 20 school corporations across the state face similar issues, causing lawmakers to address bus funding reform.
This week, the Indiana House Ways and Means committee will hear public comments regarding House Bill 1062, a bill to provide districts a three-year process of appealing to the Distress Unit Appeal Board to get access to surplus funds to use as transportation funds. That hearing is on Tuesday.
The Indiana Senate’s Appropriation committee will conduct a hearing on Senate Bill 163 on Thursday, a bill to establish a grant program allowing school districts to apply for funds to replace the property tax funds the corporation no longer receive as a result of the tax caps.
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See the full article here:
http://www.thestarpress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2014301190028&nclick_check=1
