We believe: The Legislature should seek a method of spreading the pain of lost funding among all schools across the state.
When residents receive their property tax bills, the majority of what is owed goes to local schools. Property taxes are schools’ only source of local funding. The recent property tax reform passed by the House would mean a major hit for some schools, mostly in urban areas, where assessed valuation has gone down.
The House proposal would mandate a cap of 1 percent on property owners and 3 percent on businesses.
Anderson Community Schools stands to lose $3 million over the next couple of years, and superintendents are in a panic over the loss of funding. They have a point. Unlike cities and counties, schools cannot raise local funds any other way. They cannot slap an income tax or sales tax on residents. According to Kevin Brown, financial officer for Anderson Community Schools, 25 percent of the ACS general fund comes from property tax collections and 75 percent comes from the state and fees, such as book rental.
The county can add a county option income tax, or COIT, and the city can hike its food and beverage tax for extra revenue. Admittedly, these government bodies raise taxes at their peril, but they have the option. Schools don’t.
The Legislature needs to ensure that the pain felt by some schools is spread across the spectrum. Many of the schools that will be adversely affected are in urban areas where poverty is prevalent and schools are struggling.
In December, a state government report proposed streamlining government so as to reduce the property tax revenue needed to function. Part of this sweeping change including consolidating school systems with a population less than 2,000.
The House version of reform would go a long way in ensuring consolidation. This would set up a pitched battle between those who control the purse strings and residents who want to keep their school system.
No one is going to argue with property tax reform, and we applaud the legislators for working diligently on it this session. We fear, however, that a hastily put together bill could result in more problems and force the Legislature to take up the matter again next year.
Indiana residents should demand they do it right the first time so the issue can be resolved.
Schools, too, will have to do their part is saving tax money. When citizens read of high schools building football stadiums to rival those of the college ranks, they know spending has gotten out of control. Schools can’t afford to lose the sympathy of local taxpayers. With declining enrollment, school costs should be going down.
While administrators should constantly seek to improve their schools, they should be just as diligent in looking for efficiencies that ensure tax dollars are used for instruction in the classroom, where there is the greatest impact on learning.
Opinion
EDITORIAL: More equitable tax proposal is needed
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