Voters in the Lake Central and Hanover Community school districts, in south Lake County, supported the renewals of two property tax measures in unofficial results in special elections Tuesday.
Vote tallies showed Lake Central’s win captured nearly 60% of the vote. In 2018, the referendum garnered 53%.
The outcome was closer in Hanover Community where voters backed the referendum with 53% of the vote.
The two districts held the only elections in Lake County on Tuesday, and they’ll be the final special elections for school referendums.
Looming over the two elections and referendum voting in the future, is a new GOP property tax reform law that takes millions from school districts and municipalities to lower taxes for property owners.
Lake Central would lose about $12.3 million over the next three-year span, according to the state’s Legislative Services Agency.
Hanover would lose about $6.1 million.
The state agency estimated Indiana public schools will lose $744.4 million from 2026-28, with $336 million lost in 2028.
The law, championed by GOP Gov. Mike Braun, lowers taxes with higher deductions and provides homeowners with a 10% tax credit up to $300 beginning next year.
Lake Central officials responded by increasing the tax rate it sought from 17 cents per $100 of assessed property value to 26.14 cents. Officials said the amount raises $17.8 million annually and allows spending levels to remain stable.
In pitches to the community, both districts said the property tax measures would ensure class sizes stayed small, bus transportation would continue, and teacher recruitment and retention would stay stable with the ability to offer raises.
The referendum’s operating fund is also used to pay utility costs and for school safety and student programs.
“Our staff and community members participated in high numbers and shared information with current and former students and parents, family members, friends and neighbors in order to garner the support we needed,” said Lake Central Superintendent Larry Veracco.
“Most importantly, our community turned out to vote in numbers comparable to a municipal election and we won by a sizable margin. This indicates that our community understands the complexity and difficulty in educating every student to their unique potential.”
Hanover Community Superintendent Mary Tracy-McAuley echoed Veracco’s sentiment.
“Public education faces serious funding challenges. This win is attributed to the community, our staff, the board, and tremendous volunteers that did so much of the heavy lifting,” Tracy-McAuley said.
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She said backers stood up and vigorously campaigned for the referendum.
“Our kids deserve the very best, and Hanover remains committed to that mission,” she said.
The referendum will raise $5.1 million each year.
The state has made the referendum process complicated and confusing for voters and school districts, but it’s still one of the rare avenues districts have available to raise revenue lost due to state-imposed property tax caps.
Those caps were set at 1% of assessed value for homeowners, 2% for other residential property and farmland, and 3% for commercial and all other property.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.