Board votes to place operating-referendum extension question on November ballot

The Anderson Community School Corp. board on May 11 unanimously approved a resolution to begin the statutory process to place a question on the Nov. ballot asking voters to continue the district's operating referendum at the current 10.77¢ rate.

Board counsel Mr. Ruhbrite told the board that the action being considered is procedural: it directs the superintendent and chief financial officer to ask the Madison County auditor to compute statutory figures for the public question. "It is not approval of a referendum extension. It's merely to place that question on the ballot," he said.

Mr. Ruhbrite summarized the mechanics: the resolution sets the tax rate to be placed on the public question at 10.77¢ (the rate in place under the 2018 referendum) and authorizes the auditor to calculate the average-tax impact for disclosure to the Department of Local Government Finance. He said the referendum would, if approved by voters, continue the same rate for up to eight additional years; absent voter approval the rate would drop.

He also explained the local fiscal context: changes in state law (referred to in the presentation) are expected to shift some funding to charter schools, costing Anderson roughly $1.8 million over a four-year phase-in unless the district replenishes local operating revenue through a local referendum. "We'll lose $1,800,000," he said, describing the projected local impact without voter action.

The board voted to adopt resolution 2026-19 to commence the process and asked staff to publish the public-question materials required by statute in advance of the June 8 meeting that will consider the final ballot language.

What happens next: The Madison County auditor will compute required figures and the board will receive the final proposed public question and supporting numbers before a final board vote to place the question on the November ballot.