Gary Community Schools would get financial relief under provisions of Smith legislation

INDIANAPOLIS – One of the top priorities of the 2017 legislative session for State Rep. Vernon G. Smith (D-Gary) will be to provide badly-needed assistance to a Gary Community School Corp. that has been financially strapped by recent moves made by state government.

Recent changes made to the school funding formula have caused the district to make a number of moves designed to save money, including moving to monthly leases on buildings and delaying salary payments to employees.

“The crisis facing Gary Schools is typical of those faced by urban districts across this state that have become hamstrung by school funding formulas that are giving increasing levels of state support to richer suburban schools, as well as the ongoing experiments conducted by recent administrations to expand and the voucher programs and charter schools, which is precedent because the legislature forgave their loans,” Smith said.

“Simply put, Gary cannot perform the duties required of it when the state refuses to provide the assistance that is necessary,” Smith added.

Smith’s relief efforts can be found in two bills:

House Bill 1628 asks that Gary Schools receive compensation from the state budget’s General Fund to pay off existing debts and other school-related expenses.

House Bill 1632 asks for $50.2 million from the General Fund to pay off existing bond obligations.

“I believe the state of Indiana owes Gary Schools this assistance, because the state has helped create the pressing obligations that the corporation now faces,” Smith said. “Our schools face an awesome responsibility in providing our children a quality education, and they do not deserve to be the victims of poor financial decision-making.”