ANDERSON, Ind. — The Anderson Community Schools Board of Trustees on Tuesday voted in favor of starting the process toward two May 8 bond referendums by unanimously approving four resolutions.
Board Secretary Holly Renz has favored the referendums since the beginning.
"Once upon a time in the early 2000s, we also did not have children in the school system, but we supported the referendum," she said of the last successful attempt for a bond by the district.
At that time, districts had petition drives in which the side with the most signatures won. Since then, state law has changed so that voters can make a direct decision at the polls.
About half the residents offering public comments Tuesday favored the referendums, while about half did not.
Joe Carney, who regularly attends the school board meetings, decried property tax reform at the state level, including property tax caps that have left districts scrambling for money to pay for maintenance and repairs on their buildings.
"They have thrown Hoosier school children under the proverbial school bus," he said. "Their undermining of public education has brought us to this moment."
Even though he and his wife live on a fixed income and have to deal with the costs of a chronic illness, Carney said he supports the referendums.
"We hope to be among the 500 names on the petition ... And we hope to vote yes in support of the students of ACS."
"Approach it with an open mind. Think of it as something we need to do for the students in this school system," said Anderson Federation of Teachers President G. Randall Harrison.
Dismayed by the number of people who spoke against the referendums, Donna Hawes said she hadn't planned to speak publicly but decided to share her approval of the plans.
"I'm not insensitive to the financial pressure, but this is about the students and community," she said. "My daughter will graduate before any benefits will be seen, but I am 100 percent behind it."
Sandra Brown, who has attended several of the information meetings leading up to the board's approval of the referendums, said senior citizens can't afford even a small raise in their taxes, especially as the Madison County Sheriff's Department seeks a new jail at the same time.
"Every time you look up, everybody wants something on your home. I'm not for it," she said.
Brown, who said she has worked in construction, said she also was concerned about cost overruns for the facilities plan.
"It's never what you say," she said. "You get into things unforeseen, and the price starts going up. You can't guarantee $41 million."
However, board President Patrick Hill responded that contingency costs already were built into the plan.
David Jones, who said he farms land near Highland Middle School, said he believes the cost projections offered by ACS officials for agricultural properties within the district are misleading and will hurt many landowners who won't pay attention till they receive the first tax bill.
He estimated farmland owners will pay about $1,447 per year for 250 acres and $2,895 for 500 acres just for the ACS bonds.
"We still feel like we get left out there. We're going to pay a disproportionate amount than the people in town," he said. "I've talked to a lot of people, and they say, 'Well, these things don't pass.' But more pass than used to."
Resident Jay Blankenship said he would like to see more transparency regarding the actual expenses of the facilities plan.
"For me, this $41 million doesn't look like it will help kids graduate," he said.
ACS interim superintendent Dr. Timothy Smith said he expects the overall cost of the $41 million facilities bond to decrease. The district also is requesting a $1.8 million operations bond.
"I truly believe that number will go down considerably," he said. That would be accomplished by taking care of some tasks in-house rather than contracting with architects and construction companies, he said.
"We've been able to put in a lot of secured entrances already, and we've not had to pay those fees," he said.
