Hello everyone.
The Franklin Township community has spoken. No referendum passed. No tax levies will be implemented.
So, let’s begin with the positive things to keep in mind. The sun came up the next morning (although it was hidden by clouds yet again and we didn’t see it… kind of fitting I think). Kids got on buses and went to school. Teachers were at the school to receive the kids. Life goes on as normal for another few weeks. Oh, and everyone will have more money in their pockets because taxes will be reduced more than they would have been had this referendum been passed.
So, what else are we left with, aside from a splintered community in the aftermath of Election Day?
First, we should be thankful for all of the parents and community members who fought to support the education of kids in Franklin Township. Regardless of the final vote outcome, which was 8,593 against (63.71%) to 4,895 for (36.29%), a lot of eyes were opened to the reasons for the funding challenges of Franklin Township schools. Clearly, not enough eyes were opened… but many who did not know now do understand. And, some never will choose to understand.
This vote wasn’t close enough to warrant another referendum in the future. Two attempts, two failures. Clearly the majority of the voters in Franklin Township do not want to invest more tax money in supporting the needs of the school system. That has been heard loud and clear. But, from the first message I sent several weeks ago, I have been clear that this is not a problem that was caused by the Superintendent, the School Board, the Teachers, or the Taxpayers of Franklin Township. The deficits we face can be directly attributed to the State of Indiana and the Legislature that represents Franklin Township taxpayers. Property tax caps cut Franklin Township educational funding literally in half and there was no measure to protect the education of kids in the decisions made at the legislative level.
In my opinion, the referendum was an effort by Franklin Township schools to “plug a hole in the dam” and ask for the support of the community to MAINTAIN the current level of programs and services for the students through a tax levy… simply because the State of Indiana has been unwilling and unable to fulfill its commitment of funding public education for the students of Franklin Township. The focus of the frustration doesn’t need to turn to the people who voted NO (although I will share my personal opinion that those who chose to vote NO can stay out of any and all discussions about how the schools now deal with the cuts and closing decisions they must now make).
More appropriately, the frustration needs to be directed at State Senators and State Representatives and the Governor who have created the policies and funding mechanisms by which Franklin Township reached this situation of deficit funding.
I am not an opponent of property tax caps in theory. I am not an opponent of referenda to allow the community to have input when school systems choose to invest for needs “in excess” of the everyday responsibilities the State of Indiana has responsibility for constitutionally to educate the citizens of this state. However, when the dollars do not fairly follow the student in every district across the state and when every school system is not treated equally, there is a serious problem… thus the lawsuit that FTCSC is part of today against the State of Indiana. It should say something that the State tried to get the lawsuit thrown out and they were denied.
When the Franklin Township Community School System has funding per student ranked #291 out of #349 in the state after enduring literally years of receiving ONLY 75% of the allocated funding for every new student it received annually, there cannot help but to be a deficit.
Every year, for years, the state has done less and less for Franklin Township Schools. Our schools are not alone, but our schools were terribly affected due to the growth. It began with little things such as how the schools paid for utilities… the state would cut funding, then turn and say,” but now you can pay for this particular expense out of another fund whereas before you could not"... as if they were doing the schools a favor for becoming more flexible as they reduced funding. It continued to manifest itself with late payments to the schools which actually required Franklin Township Schools to go and get “a loan” annually to float themselves until the payments came in. Oh yes, you as taxpayers got to pay the interest on those loans through taxpayer dollars... all as a result of a broken system.
I understand taxpayers have made their voices heard, but now ALL voices need to be directed in unison toward the root of the problem. Phil Ross, a former school board member, advocated voting NO to the referendum and then letting chaos ensue so the issues would be directed where they should be. Well, this is now going to happen.
For those who voted NO, you won… you should be proud and enjoy your resounding victory. No need to gloat or act like fools… you didn’t win anything to be proud of, but you were heard. Please do NOT be hateful or negative toward anyone who voted YES to protect the education of the children in the Franklin Township community. And, would everyone please take both the YES and NO signs out of your yards. When your election signs are in your yard for days and weeks after the election, it doesn’t reflect well on you!
As I told Dr. Bourke the morning after the election, I do not think a majority of the NO votes were from people who hate Franklin Township schools. I don’t think the NO voters hate kids and want them to fail in life, either. I think they just hate the idea of any tax burden that is not necessary in their minds. This is the reason why a majority of these referenda fail. This is why Avon and Zionsville also have said no in their public votes.
There has been a tremendous amount of organization and effort from the folks engaged in FAST. Regardless of what is being said, I know there has been a constant effort to do things the right way in this referendum process. Now, the message needs to be sent to a different audience… to those who have been elected to represent Franklin Township. And, it needs to be sent by ALL of Franklin Township. The public display of “non-affection” may have to wait until the Fall when the legislature convenes again, but people need to stay after this. I can promise you motivation will not be a problem when parents are driving their children to and from school twice a day and gridlock ensues.
Can the group of caring parents and community members regroup and stay together in the coming months to send the message to our legislators? Can we get their attention?
When our representatives vote to support tax credits for home schooling and vote to support the school voucher bills in the legislature, in my mind they are intentionally ignoring their responsibility as a public elected official whose job it is to oversee the success of public school education. Private school education is a choice families make. Public school education is an obligation of the state. Pat Miller and Mike Speedy need to be accountable. They have not come to the defense of Franklin Township students or their adult Franklin Township constituents as this situation has played out.
Stay tuned… this is not over. Maybe now, knowing there won’t be a tax impact of any kind, NO voters can step back and acknowledge that the way our schools are being funded is not fair and it is not right. Maybe Franklin Township can work together as an entire community to force the state to consider a more equitable process that doesn’t damage the opportunities of our kids.
Remember, it is the kids who are being hurt. This fight to help our kids cannot stop. We are their voice.
Thanks for your consideration!
