Meetings Focus On Proposed Maple Schools Referendum

Maple School District officials are holding informational meetings about plans for a roughly half-million dollar referendum. The measure is to help support and maintain the current programs in the district.

The Maple School District is struggling to provide services as it has seen cuts to state aid and decreased enrollment, according to Maple School Board President Kim Pearson. She said the district has lost 140 students over the last decade, adding up to a loss of around $1.3 million. Pearson said the $582,000 operating referendum is necessary to avoid further cuts.

“It’s almost $4 million in reduction in the past 10 years. We no longer have early retirement programs. Our employees are having to pay more for their health benefits,” she said. “We’ve eliminated some staff positions that maybe had some really small class sizes…. We went from two bus routes in the morning to one.”

Maple Schools Superintendent Sara Croney said parents support the referendum to avoid larger class sizes. However, Croney said seniors in the community have mixed feelings about the measure. She said some want to provide support for students while others fear paying more in property taxes.

“One of the things that real estate owners will tell you is that people will ask how the schools are. Are they good schools? Do they have a good reputation? Because that will keep and hold their property values,” she said. “However, you’ll also have others say, if the taxes are too high, then people don’t want to buy because they can’t afford the higher taxes.”

Croney said a resident with a $100,000 home would see an annual increase of $68 on their tax bill. But, with a growing aging population, she said many property owners on fixed incomes struggle to make ends meet with rising costs.

Voters in the district will take up the referendum on the April 3 election.