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Pike Township resident urges board to fight state bills, calls for crowd at Statehouse
Summary
Former board member Matt Hopp told the MSD Pike Township board that several pending state bills would cut local school revenue, expand charter control, and require partisan school-board declarations, and urged the community to attend a State House day of action the following Monday.
Matt Hopp, introduced to the board as a former board member and identifying himself at the microphone, used his three-minute public-comment slot to urge Pike Township residents and school leaders to oppose several pieces of pending state legislation.
“Senate Bill 1 is gonna cost Pike and many and every other school district in this state millions of dollars in revenue that supports our infrastructure,” Hopp said, arguing the bill would reduce property-tax revenue the district relies on. He told the board lower property taxes are not the problem, “but not replacing the money is.”
Hopp also labeled other measures — which he cited in his remarks as a transportation pilot (House Bill 1501), Senate Bill 287 (which he described as forcing partisan school boards) and a takeover bill he named as House Bill 1136 — as threats to local control. “Takeover of IPS and 4 other districts to be under total control of charter boards … completely removing local control and input from the community” is not the right answer, he said.
He urged board members and residents to attend a State House day of action the coming Monday from 2 to 4 p.m. in the 2nd-floor atrium. “I implore you to keep fighting this fight,” Hopp said, adding that future generations will judge which leaders supported public education.
Board members responded in the meeting’s later discussion with thanks for his advocacy and said several would attend the Monday event. Dr. Moore thanked Hopp for his report and called him “an advocate,” and other trustees encouraged public engagement.
Why it matters: Hopp framed the bills as fiscal and governance threats to the district’s ability to operate schools and deliver services; several board members signaled alignment with his request to rally at the State House. The board did not take formal action on the bills during the meeting.
