FORT WAYNE – The Allen County Council on Thursday approved a ballot question that if approved by voters would raise an additional $8.2 million a year for East Allen County Schools.

The council’s vote certifies the wording to the election board and is required by state law to place the issue on the November ballot. Superintendent Karyle Green told the council that school officials are trying to be proactive. If the district is unable to cut $6 million by redesigning the use of its school buildings, the district will still have a way to provide services, she said.

The district has already reduced the number of teachers and other staff and increased classroom sizes. Diminishing funding from the state and declining enrollment have spurred the district’s financial woes, Green said.

In an effort to reduce property tax bills, the state legislature determined the state would fund general school operations instead of local property taxes. But tax collections have dropped significantly during the recession forcing spending cuts throughout state government, including $300 million for school districts.

Local property taxes, however, still pay for transportation, debt and any referendum-approved tax rates to cover classroom costs.

And the district lost $504,000 to the property tax caps this year.

Councilman Roy Buskirk, R-at large, questioned why no school members attended the early-morning meeting and who would determine the tax rate.

The school board approved the maximum tax rate Tuesday and that rate will be written into the ballot question.

However, the board could lower the rate in the future, Green said.

If approved, the new tax would cost the owner of a $100,000 home an estimated $30 a month.

New Haven resident Denny Nichter said the council should have halted the district’s effort to seek more tax dollars.

“We’ve got more schools than we’ll ever need,” he told the council. “We’ve got declining enrollment and they want more money.”

But Council President Paula Hughes defended the vote.

“A referendum is the purest form of representative government” and will allow voters to decide what they want for their schools, Hughes said.

aiacone@jg.net