Proposed referendum in Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation could increase taxes

FORTVILLE — A local school system wants you to vote 'yes' in support of their operating referendum.

The average household in the Mt Vernon Community School Corporation is valued at $200,000. If the referendum the district is asking for passes, residents will see an increase of about $14 per month or $166 per year.

Superintendent Jack Parker said if approved the referendum will help pay for staff, utilities, buses and gas for those buses.

It will also give teachers a pay increase making them more competitive in the county.

Parker also wants to have at least one School Resource Officer in each school, saying safety is always top of mind.

“We want to exceed the minimum," Parker said. We want to provide officers that can develop relationships with kids, meet the kids and check the perimeter and just make sure everybody feels safe. (It) is something we think is important and we want two at the high school. This (referendum) would allow (us) to have two at our very large high school."

If the referendum doesn’t pass, Parker said it will mean larger class sizes and fewer school resource officers. It also causes issues in finding and keeping teachers and support staff.

The last time the school asked voters to approve a referendum it was passed by only nine votes.

Parker said the district ended up giving some of that back to taxpayers.