To pledge or not to pledge

During their Tuesday meeting, Northern Wells Superintendent Scott Mills brought to members of the Northern Wells school board a motion pledging to abstain from raising taxes to pay for major renovations or building projects until at least 2022.

The board members agreed that they have no intentions of raising taxes for more construction, but they hesitated to make a pledge that could bind future school boards.

Learn more in the Wednesday, April 18, News-Banner. Read the pledge here.

NORTHERN WELLS COMMUNITY SCHOOLS CORPORATION RESOLUTION TO ADDRESS
QUESTIONS REGARDING FUTURE PROPERTY TAX INCREASES
WHEREAS taxpayers and community members have raised questions about Northern Wells Community Schools Corporation (the “School Corporation”) future plans in regards to facility improvements and tax rate increases; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the School Corporation voted on January 24, 2012 to pursue a public referendum to allow the voters of the School Corporation to determine if a Project at Norwell High School to provide an improved educational program and environment for students at an estimated Debt Service tax rate of $0.1772 per $100 of assessed value could proceed (the “Norwell Project”); and
WHEREAS, the bonds related to the Lancaster Central Elementary project is currently being repaid from the Debt Service fund is set to partially retire in 2022 and retire in full in 2023; and
WHEREAS, the Qualified School Construction Bonds previously issued are currently being repaid from the Debt Service fund and are scheduled to retire in 2025; and
WHEREAS, in the future, the buildings and facilities of the School Corporation will continue to require maintenance, renovation and improvements which will be funded by the Capital Projects Fund and the Debt Service Fund; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the School Corporation desires to provide a high quality education at the lowest tax rate reasonably possible; and
WHEREAS, to provide a factual and public response to questions raised by taxpayers and the community in regards to the intent of the Board of Trustees of the School Corporation to pursue future projects and tax rate increases; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, if the public referendum on May 8, 2012 enables a tax rate increase for the Norwell Project, barring an emergency, the Board of Trustees of the School Corporation pledges to not seek any additional projects that would require a Debt Service fund increase at least until the bonds associated with the Lancaster Central Elementary project begins to retire from the Debt Service Fund in 2022.
Passed and adopted this 17th day of April, 2012