The Monroe County Community School Corp. Board plans to pursue another school tax, after voters backed one last year.
The board voted Tuesday to notify the county auditor of the proposed referendum. Its rate would not exceed 8½ cents per $100 of assessed property value.
Read more: MCCSC looking to generate $15.5 million in largest referendum yet
MCCSC superintendent Jeff Hauswald said the board wasn’t expecting to propose another school tax so soon, but the Indiana legislature capped the rate of school tax growth.
“So that means our rate for 2022 is anticipated to drop between 1.5 and 2 cents," he said. "Which means that we will have less additional revenue in 2024 to do the things that we wanted to do, and that we need to do, particularly the things that our legislators aren't paying for currently."
Hauswald said MCCSC will be able to fund teacher and staff pay increases still with funds from the 2022 referendum.
This second referendum, which would be on the coming Nov. 7 ballot, would go to expanding early childhood education and eliminating costs to families.
"We also know that our families face many financial barriers to K-12 education," Hauswald said. "That includes Career Center, education fees, certification course costs. For example, a CNA course, if you take the class to become a CNA, and you want to take the test, those tests are almost $500."
The board will meet with community members Wednesday at 6 p.m. to discuss the potential referendum and answer questions.
Before 2022, the last referendum passed was in 2016.
