Silver Creek officials outline $62.8 million school referendum; residents raise tax, transfer and capacity concerns

Silver Creek School Corporation leaders presented details of a $62.8 million referendum proposal during a town-hall work session at Silver Creek High School, and residents pressed officials on tax impacts, transfer-student policies and whether modular classrooms would be the fallback if the ballot measure fails.

Superintendent Chad Briggs said the proposal would fund a new elementary school, an expansion of the primary school and adaptations to the current elementary and middle schools so grade bands shift. “We do this for our kids. It's not cheap to do it for our kids,” Briggs said, adding the district expects projects to take about three years even if voters approve the referendum.

The proposal’s estimated total is $62,800,000, which Briggs broke down as just over $50 million in construction costs and roughly $12.5 million in soft costs. Todd Ballmer, the district’s assistant superintendent and chief financial officer, showed a tax calculator on the district website and gave an example for homeowners: for a $300,000 house the district provided, the referendum would increase annual property tax liability by about $629 (roughly $52 per month) under the assumptions used in that example.

Why it matters: The projects would be paid through property-tax-supported municipal bonds spread over roughly 20 years, and the district has already used prior bond issuances for recent construction. Officials said delaying would likely raise future costs. “If we do nothing, it’s going to get there pretty rapidly,” Briggs said of building and capacity pressures, and he told the audience that the district bought about 22 acres as a site for a new school to preserve long‑term options.

W…