Treasurer warns House Bill 335 could cut roughly $7.5 million from district if inside millage eliminated

During the Oct. 20 meeting Treasurer Jenkins updated the New Albany-Plain Local Board of Education on state legislation she identified in the transcript as House Bill 335, which she said would eliminate inside millage. Jenkins said Franklin County currently levies 10 mills of inside millage and the district receives 4.5 of those mills, which she estimated represents "not quite $7,500,000 for us annually." Jenkins said she submitted written testimony opposing elimination of inside millage.

Jenkins said the district is about 85% locally funded and has been "off the ballot since 2014," meaning it has not recently sought voted operating millage. She described inside millage as part of the district's locally available revenue and urged monitoring of the bill because its passage would represent a large reduction in local real-estate tax collection for the district.

Jenkins said Representative Burrell and another legislative staffer had reached out to district staff to request information about cost increases (noting typical drivers such as insurance and benefits). Jenkins said she provided a five-year review of rising costs to the representative and would continue to assist as the legislature takes up the bill. She told the board the legislature was meeting about the bill the week of the board meeting and that the district was watching developments closely.

The board did not vote on any position at the meeting; Jenkins reported that she had already provided written testimony to the legislature.