Renewal levy on ballot for election

CELINA - Electors in the Celina City Schools district in the Nov. 7 general election will vote on a five-year, 1%-earned-income tax renewal levy that would generate $4.368 million annually.

The revenue accounts for 14% of the school district's budget, said superintendent Ken Schmiesing. It flows into the general fund and goes toward general operating expenses, added treasurer Michelle Mawer.

The district covers all precincts in Celina as well as Center, West Jefferson, East Jeff. North, East Jeff. South, Butler East, Butler West, Franklin East, Franklin West, Hopewell, Liberty and Washington townships.

"Anybody on a pension does not have to pay a dime - unless they're getting some income from some other source," said school board member Bill Sell about the earned-income tax renewal levy.

After a nail-bitingly close contest in the spring, school officials' first attempt to pass the levy came up just short. In the end it was defeated 798 to 786, according to the official May 2 special election results.

School board members and Schmiesing have said should the renewal fail, the consequences would be "dire" for the district. Austerity measures would likely entail layoffs and reductions in busing and other areas.

The district currently offers busing to all students who live more than a mile away from the school, above and beyond the state requirement of busing those in grades K-8 who reside more than 2 miles away, school officials said.

School officials hope to avert such measures by getting the levy passed on Nov. 7.

"I think you see the strength of the community and the schools are definitely a huge part of that strength," Schmiesing said. "With the new buildings going up, it's definitely important to continue to have quality staff members, administrators so we keep up with the rest of the community. Celina's going great places."

The income tax expires at the end of the year. It constitutes about one-eighth of the district's annual budget of roughly $32 million, Schmiesing said.

"It keeps the lights on and the doors open, but we do know the majority of operating expenses go to salaries and benefits," Sell remarked.

Mawer noted that salaries and benefits represent 81.4% of the district's budget.

"I mean, if it's 14% of our operating budget, then we're going to have to start looking at things that we don't want to have to really consider," Sell said about the types of cuts that would have to be made should the levy fail.

The income tax was first approved several years ago but district voters in November 2017 passed a ballot issue to increase the tax rate from 0.75% to 1%.

This time around, Sell suggested bumping up the income tax to 1.5% to account for the rising costs of supplies, materials and other necessities but said he and his colleagues ended up sticking with 1%.

"We consider ourselves stewards of everybody's money, so we actually looked at it (1.5%), decided not to," said school board member Carl Huber. "We're not asking for more than what you've already been paying for five years."

Huber said he's been on the board for six years. For the last three years the district has been operating in the black, he underscored.

"So we've been doing our due diligence cutting spending," he said. "We're not asking for more money, but we still need to maintain income."

Citing examples of cost-saving measures, Schmiesing said the district's employees have switched over to a high-deductible health insurance plan.

"The employees through negotiations are now paying a higher percentage than they have been in the past, as far as the employee share," he said. "But when those costs continue to climb to close to 8% per year in health care costs, it definitely affects the bottom line of the school district as well."

Passing the levy would add to the momentum of positive happenings in the district, both academically and athletically, school officials said.

"We've been lucky with the grant dollars that we've had come in, working with the board, spending that money in positive fashions to update our curriculum, not only in the language arts … but we've also updated our math curriculum along with the professional development training that the teachers have and are receiving. It's certainly improving their craft," Schmiesing said.

District officials also have a new assessment system that tracks student progress every nine weeks.

"And you're seeing that at the younger ages because we've just been doing this for two years but eventually it will grow," Schmiesing said of student academic growth.

Sell said 20% of high school students are taking Advance Placement courses and 22% are taking College Credit Plus classes.

"And then with the offerings out at Tri Star, some of the students that are not necessarily the College Credit Plus crowd are getting a tremendous, hands-on education out there," he said. "So there's lots of opportunities in the district."

Sports teams, too, are having great fall seasons.

"All the fans at the stadium, that definitely helps our positive momentum going forward," Schmiesing said.