Renewal Overview

On November 5, 2024, residents residing within the Lake Station Community Schools district will have the opportunity to continue their investment in our schools, students and our community by voting on a renewal of an operating referendum that the voters supported in 2017.

In July of 2024, the Board of Trustees approved a resolution that formally approved the district’s Revenue Spending Plan (see details below) and initiated the process required to place the renewal of the 2017 operation referendum on the November ballot.

If the referendum renewal is supported by local residents, the estimated $1.3 million in annual revenue raised will be used to retain and attract high quality educators, transportation, technology programs, and bolster safety and security at all our schools.

The proposed referendum renewal will remain at a rate of $0.54 per $100 of assessed value (not market value) and will not result in a tax rate increase on the School Property Tax Levy portion of your property tax. Your property taxes will not increase if the renewal is approved by the community. In fact, the school district was able to pay down on its debt in 2023 resulting in a lowering of your tax rate for schools.  Your tax rate dropped from $1.16 to $0.82 cents.  

Circuit Breaker Impact

Since 2019, our schools have lost more than $7,444,917.95 due to uncollected tax money due to the circuit breaker.  Circuit breaker is a cap on property taxes. Anything owed above the cap is unpaid property taxes.  The current referendum approved in 2017 helps to make up for this, and we are asking to continue the referendum at the same amount that was asked for and voters approved in 2017.  No increase.