Franklin County commissioners voted Thursday to allow the school district to hold a referendum in May so voters can decide whether to allow the school district to increase its operating budget

Franklin County commissioners voted Thursday to allow the school district to hold a referendum in May so voters can decide whether to allow the school district to increase its operating budget.

The referendum is the same as one held in 2016 when the district asked voters to allow the school district to increase its operating budget by a half mill.

The move is technically a tax increase though taxpayers shouldn’t see an increase in their tax bills because the increase in the operating budget will be offset by a decrease in the school system’s building fund.

If voters approve the measure again it will allow the school district to free up construction money and put it in the operating budget where it can be used for teacher and employee pay as well as other operating expenses.

Voters first approved the issue in 2008 – but it has to be renewed every 4 years.

The current approval ends on June the 30^th.

The current plan is to hold a general election on the issue sometime in May or possibly June; the last time this was done it cost over 20 thousand dollars.

The election will be held as a mail out ballot. 

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