Survey: 3 of 4 West Lafayette voters back school referendum
Consultant warns West Lafayette school district of being complacent heading toward Nov. 7, despite large margins in two previous property tax referendum questions
Thanks to the ongoing support from Long Center for the Performing Arts, presenting LeAnn Rimes and the “The Story … So Far Tour” Oct. 21 in downtown Lafayette. For tickets, go to longpac.org or click on the flyer below.
SURVEY: 3 OF 4 WL VOTERS BACK SCHOOL REFERENDUM
A survey commissioned by West Lafayette schools suggests the district is heading into the final month of a campaign to renew a property tax referendum with at least 76% of voters ready to support the measure on Nov. 7.
Released Monday, the survey of 400 voters in the West Lafayette Community School Corp. boundaries shows the ballot question trails the overwhelming 94% approval result in 2017, the most recent victory for the district and still a record for school referendums in Indiana.
Still, said Don Lifto, a consultant with marketing firm Morris Leatherman Co., West Lafayette was in a great position to go three-for-three on referendums since its first one in 2010.
“Overall, very, very positive,” Lifto told the West Lafayette school board Monday night. “It’s quite unusual that I would see 76% initial support in a survey. More typically, it could be between 50 and 60 (percent). So, a good, strong start.”
The question of the night, though, came from school board member Tom Schott.
“I don’t want to be flippant,” Schott said, “but any advice on what we should do not to screw it up?”
Lifto said his main advice was to avoid complacency – particularly given West Side’s past results.
“Sometimes, when people are hearing positive news about the levy and about the survey that was done, you don’t want them to come to the conclusion, well, I don’t have to vote because it’s going to pass.”
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The proposed 37-cent referendum would raise a bit more than $7 million a year – roughly 18% of the district’s overall budget – for the next eight years, stating its purpose as “retaining and attracting teachers and staff and funding academic programming and operating expenditures.”
Similar questions, passed on a seven-year basis each time, received 65% of the vote in May 2010 and 94% in May 2017. This year’s referendum essentially would extend the property tax for another eight years at the same rate.
The West Lafayette school board decided this spring to push the question out a year ahead of schedule, a move that would let the district avoid the fray of the 2024 presidential year primary or general election. The Nov. 7 election this year will feature municipal races in West Lafayette for mayor, clerk, city council and city judge. It also would give the school district another attempt in 2024 if this one fails.
Tanya Finkbiner, a co-chair of the Vote Yes for our West Lafayette Schools committee created for the campaign, told the board Monday night that the organization was built around the idea of busting up any complacency.
The group was running with help from donations to a political action committee, giving the committee access to marketing material, door hangers and fact cards when they set up tables a public events and go door-to-door to explain the confusing, state-mandated wording voters will see on the ballot. A Yes Committee website is up at voteyeswl.com, doing the same.
In the back of the meeting room Monday night, Finkbiner had a stack of folded, red shirts emblazoned with, “I’m here for the schools,” ready to hand out to anyone who was willing wear one. “Conversation starters,” she called them.
Finkbiner, a mother of two West Side students, said the majority of people she’d met knew about the referendum and planned to vote in favor on Nov. 7. She said committee members were fielding questions about how to help.
“The answer is two simple things,” Finkbiner said. “One, go vote yes on Nov. 7. Do not assume that someone else voting yes replaces your vote. … Two, talk about it. Wherever you are now and all the days leading up to Nov. 7, actively encourage your West Lafayette neighbors, friends, parents, colleagues and acquaintances.”
About the survey
Lifto said the 35-question survey, completed between Aug. 21 and Sept. 2, included 400 registered voters who live in the West Lafayette Community School Corp. boundaries.
The survey covered opinions about the school district and its performance, as well as the referendum and its chances for renewal.
Among the results:
Initial support for the referendum renewal, when given this prompt: “In November of this year, registered voters living within the boundaries of the West Lafayette school corporation will have an opportunity to vote on a proposed 8-year renewal of the current referendum originally approved by voters in 2010. This referendum currently generates approximately $7.2 million each school year or 18% of the approved budget to support students, teachers, classroom programs and operating expenditures. Based on what you know now, would you favor or oppose this proposal?”
Of those asked, 76% were in favor and 9% were opposed. The other 15% had no opinion.
When given more background about how the money would be used (see sections below with some of the questions), the favorable response to the referendum was 78%.
Lifto told the board that the difference between the two numbers was essentially flat, meaning that voters came into this election aware of the question and the issues.
What grade would you give public schools in West Lafayette? Of those asked, 42% said A and 42% said B. Less than 1% gave D or F grades. No opinion was at 3% According to Morris Leatherman, those grade were better than national benchmarks, where the distribution is 13% A, 41% B, 30% C, 9% D and 6% F.
As for the basis of those grades, the top answers had to do with children’s experience (34%), friends and neighbors (26%) and personal experience (17%).
Grades for financial management: Those didn’t score as high as overall grades, but nearly two-thirds of those asked gave A or B grades. Among those asked, 31% said A, 33% said B, 25% said C, and a combined 3% said D or F. Another 8% said they had no opinion.
Effect of information about how the money would be spent. When given reasons about how the funding would be used and whether those would make voters more likely or less likely to support the ballot question, these were the percentages of responses that said “much more likely” or “somewhat more likely” to vote yes:
Maintain competitive compensation to attract and retain quality staff: 78%
The district would need to make $7 million in budget cuts: 77%
Maintain programs to help students struggling with core academics: 77%
Maintain extracurricular programs: 76%
Maintain current class sizes: 76%
$7 million is equivalent to 85 staff positions: 76%
The district would need to reduce staff, making larger class sizes: 76%
West Lafayette receives the third lowest funding per student in Indiana: 72%
Maintain athletic programs: 72%
Maintain arts programs: 61%
Demographics: Here’s the likelihood of voting in favor, based on survey responses.
By gender: Women, 78.9%. Men, 77.1%
By age: 18-34, 84.2%; 35-44, 91.6%; 45-54, 80.5%; 55-64, 63.4%; 65-plus, 64.3%
Parental status, of children attending West Lafayette schools: Parents, 80.9%; non-parents, 77.6%; alumni parents (whose children went to West Side schools but have graduated), 76.6%
Homeowners vs. renters: Homeowners, 73.7%; renters, 87%.
By household income: The lowest support came from those who had household incomes of $75,000-$100,000 (57.1%). Those with household incomes of $50,000-$75,000 were at 69.8%. All others, above and below those ranges, were at more than 82% support.
Board member Brad Marley asked Lifto how accurate the survey results typically matched up with referendum election results at the other districts he works with.
Lifto said they typically fell within a plus/minus 5% range.
More on the survey: For a look at Monday’s presentation of the survey results, here’s your link.
Here’s what the referendum will look like on the Nov. 7 ballot:
“Shall West Lafayette Community School Corporation continue to impose increased property taxes paid to the school corporation by homeowners and businesses for eight (8) years immediately following the holding of the referendum for the purpose of retaining and attracting teachers and staff and funding academic programming and operating expenditures with the renewal of the current maximum referendum property tax rate of $0.37? The property tax increase requested in this referendum was originally approved by the voters in 2017 and if extended will increase the average property tax paid to the school corporation per year on a residence within the school corporation by 46.2% and if extended will increase the average property tax paid to the school corporation per year on a business property within the school corporation by 41.8%.”
THIS AND THAT …
LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER TO VOTE IS TUESDAY: Indiana’s voter registration deadline ahead of the Nov. 7 municipal elections is Tuesday, Oct. 10. To register and to check whether your registration is still active, with the correct address and other updated information, go to IndianaVoters.com, the Indiana Secretary of State’s election portal for registration and access to who’s on your ballot. The deadline to register to vote is midnight online or at the end of business hours at county election offices.. Early voting in Tippecanoe County begins Oct. 24. Here's a schedule of early voting sites between Oct. 24 and Nov. 6.
NEXT UP AT PRESIDENTIAL LECTURE SERIES: Intel CEO Patrick Gelsinger will be Mung Chiang’s next interview guest in Purdue’s Presidential Lecture Series. At a time when Purdue is betting big on semiconductor research, the 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 17, conversation is titled “Welcome to the Siliconomy: Semiconductors and the Supply Chain.” The talk will be in Stewart Center’s Loeb Playhouse. It’s free, but general admission tickets are required, available here. For more on Gelsinger and on the lecture series, check here.
Thanks, again, to support from Long Center for the Performing Arts, presenting LeAnn Rimes and the “The Story … So Far Tour” Oct. 21 in downtown Lafayette. Get tickets here.
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I'm glad that communities with significant means vote to tax themselves to support schools. Don't lose sight of the fact that many Indiana districts don't have such a concentration of high income earners. Meaning, it would be helpful if our state taxed all of us enough to elevate the struggling school districts.
Yes, to all voters doing the job of a good citizen and voting. Hopefully these same residents/voters will also join the fight against airbnbs since they take away the opportunity of families with children to live in our school district to keep our schools thriving.