Griffith passes referendum saving school jobs, programs

If Griffith Public Schools Superintendent Leah Dumezich was concerned that Griffith residents wouldn’t support its firstever referendum, her belief in the colossal dedication of its parents for their kids was never a question.

Their support was paramount to the decisive 1,309-796 “yes” vote the district got late Tuesday, Dumezich said, though it took a whole community to come together for the students. For that, she’ll remain forever grateful.

“I never once doubted the community and their support of the kids,” a tired Dumezich said Wednesday.

“Historically, they’ve put a high value on education, and (the referendum effort has) mostly been very positive. Everyone came out and showed out, so this affords us the opportunities to continue educating and enriching our kids.

With the referendum, GPS will be able to keep all current staffing as is as well as extend programming and retain the quality educators it has, she said. Morale has been great this year, she said, but Wednesday, there was an undeniable sigh of relief.

“It’s a great day for GPS,” she said. “We’re building a very special place for kids to attend, and with outstanding educators, huge parental involvement and now funding, we have everything we need.”

The referendum will institute a tax increase estimated at $0.3294 per $100 of assessed value. On a $100,000 home with a net assessed value of $37,750, it will cost $8.99 per month, or $107.88 per year; for a $200,000 home with a net assessed value of $97,750, it will cost $26.83 a month, or $321.99 per year, according to an earlier presentation at a school board meeting.

Commercial and rental properties with net assessed values of $100,000, meanwhile, will pay $27.45 per month, or $329.40 per year, the presentation showed.

Overall, the estimated incremental annual taxpayer impact will increase a residence’s average school tax rate by 48.39% and businesses’ by 41.07%, but only 15% and 13% respectively overall, according to the presentation administrators have given since the start of the year.

The increase will be in effect for eight years, it said, and will give GPS an estimated $2.3 million in annual revenue.

Like all schools across the state, GPS received CARES Act money, of which it used the $357,000 for teacher stipends, two new school buses and COVID-19 safety supplies, Dumezich said during a presentation. The $1.56 million in ESSER II funds it’s received so far, she said, has gone toward 34 teacher salaries and benefits, and the $3.5 million in ESSER III funds will be used for remediation and tutoring.

GPS’s ending cash balance in 2020 was $3,587,000; its 2021 projected ending cash balance is $4,379,000 and the 2022 projected ending cash balance is $3,975,000, according the presentation.