Munster schools seek referendum renewal on May ballot
Measure would raise $8.9 million a year for operating expenses
Residents are being asked during the May primary election to continue funding the School Town of Munster at its current level when it seeks to renew support for a 2017 referendum expiring in December.
School town officials would like voters to approve a measure seeking to extend the referendum amount of .4196 cents per $100 of assessed valuation for another eight years beginning Jan. 1, 2024.
The measure would raise an approximate $8.9 million a year that would be tapped for operating expenses, including programing, teacher recruiting and retention, special education, and health, security and technology needs, according to the question.
Superintendent Bret Heller said the referendum will keep the same tax rate as the 2017 measure approved by voters. The school town passed its first referendum on 2013. That measure was repealed and replaced in 2017 with the current referendum officials are seeking to extend.
Heller said about 78% of the revenues generated will continue to fund the recruitment and retention of teachers and staff.
“We have 68 teachers and 149 total staff paid currently out of the referendum. This will allow us to maintain staff levels,” Heller said, adding some funds will be spend on security measures as well.
If voters fail to extend the referendum, the school town faces significant cuts.
“The biggest concern with that number is if we have to reduce our staffing force that significantly, it will dramatically increase class sizes and cut programs,” Heller said, adding it would be difficult to maintain the educational excellence the system currently offers.
While the school town seeks to extend the referendum, Heller said officials have been responsible with their funding and have
even decreased the overall tax rate for the school town since the revised referendum was passed in 2017.
Prior to the passage of that referendum, the school town’s overall tax rate was $1.376 per $100 of assessed value.
The overall tax rate this year is $1.2958. The referendum rate, which is included in the figure, has remained flat at .4196 cents per $100 of assessed value since 2018 and will continue to remain at the rate if the extension measure is passed.
According to the spending plan for the May referendum question, approximately $6.85 million will go toward educational staff salaries and benefits while $780,000 will fund instructional assistants, other support staff, 10 substitute teachers and custodial and maintenance salaries and benefits.
Another $410,000 will be used for 10 custodial, maintenance, nursing and support staff salaries and benefits with $820,000 for funding for four administrative assistants, one information technology staff members, two nurses, cybersecurity and other insurance expenses.
John Castro, school board president, said via email that Munster schools are the pride of the community.
As one of the lowerfunded districts in the state, officials had to find a way to ensure financial stability that would translate into continued success in the classroom.
“We are lucky to have residents that are passionate about our district and willing to dedicated themselves in any way they can to help the School Town of Munster succeed,” Castro said.
He cited successful past referendum measures and current enthusiasm in officials’ initial conversations regarding the measure.
“We as a board are fully supportive of this measure, and will continue our diligence that has helped us to uphold our promise to the district that we will never again suffer the type of financial turmoil that the school town experienced in the past,” Castro said.