Franklin Township Schools Forced to Cut $3 Million | Indy's News Center - 93.1 WIBC Indianapolis

By Eric Berman
11/4/2009

The Franklin Township Schools are hunting for $3 million in spending cuts after voters rejected a plea for more tax money.

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The school system offered voters two choices in Tuesday's election: a property tax hike of one dollar for every $300 of assessed value, or an increase half that size.

Residents rejected both options by two-to-one margins, delivering a 69% no vote on the larger tax hike, and a 66% tally against the smaller one.

"Obviously, our community spoke to us pretty clearly that we need to balance our budget within the revenue stream that currently exists," shrugs Superintendent Walter Bourke.

Bourke says the district will have to cut jobs to close the gap. He'll ask the school board for its preferences later this month.

Franklin Township expects to join the Hamilton Southeastern Schools in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Indiana's school funding formula.

HSE holds its own tax referendum next Tuesday.

Voters did authorize tax hikes to prop up the budget in the Beech Grove and Southern Wells Community Schools.

Voters were less sympathetic to schools pleading for help with day-to-day operations than those proposing construction projects. Of four districts seeking construction bonds, the Southwest Dubois Schools were the only one to win approval.

Voters in the Perry Township Schools and the Tell City-Troy schools rejected construction referenda by margins of 51-49%. Voters in the Batesville school district delivered a more one-sided 57% no vote.

MORE FROM WIBC NEWS:
» School Referendums See Mixed Results (11-3-09)

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