Cannelton Voters Renew School Operating Referendum, Locking In Funding Through 2032
Voters in Perry County approved Cannelton City Schools’ operating referendum with about 71% voting yes in unofficial returns, preserving the district’s current tax rate through 2032 to support staffing, elementary literacy programs and expanded career and dual‑credit options. The result provides short‑term budget certainty for the district but arrives as statewide changes to property‑tax policy set to take effect in 2026 will reduce levy revenues and increase the stakes of local funding decisions.
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Voters in Perry County delivered a decisive endorsement of Cannelton City Schools’ operating referendum in the Nov. 4 election, with unofficial results showing roughly 71 percent in favor of renewing the district’s existing rate. The renewal keeps the current local option operating levy rate in place through 2032 and directs revenue to core priorities the district identified: staffing levels, elementary literacy supports and expanded career and dual‑credit opportunities for high school students.
For the district, the outcome means near‑term stability in the revenue stream that pays classroom salaries and targeted academic supports. Maintaining the existing rate avoids an immediate reduction in funds that could otherwise force program cuts or staffing changes. Expanded career and dual‑credit options are aimed at strengthening post‑graduation pathways for local students and aligning school offerings with regional workforce needs.
The vote also occurred against a wider statewide backdrop that makes such local approvals more consequential. Education outlets reported that five of six school tax questions across the state passed on Nov. 4. At the same time, a new property‑tax relief package scheduled to take effect in 2026 will reduce the amount of revenue schools receive from property levies. That impending change means districts increasingly must rely on locally approved measures or adjustments at the state level to sustain services that communities value.
Results from Perry County remain unofficial until certified by county election officials. Certification will confirm the final tally and allow the district and county to finalize levy calculations and budget planning for the coming years. District leaders and the school board will now move from campaigning to fiscal implementation, using the affirmed rate to allocate resources for staffing, literacy interventions in elementary grades, and the planned expansion of career and dual‑credit coursework.
For residents, the referendum’s passage reflects community priorities about the level and focus of local public education funding. Keeping staffing levels and early literacy supports intact has direct implications for classroom experience and student outcomes, while investments in dual‑credit and career programs can affect long‑term economic opportunities for Perry County youth.
Looking ahead, the district will need to factor the 2026 property‑tax changes into multi‑year financial planning. School officials and county leaders will be tasked with balancing the guaranteed revenue from this renewal against the anticipated reductions in levy revenue statewide, and with communicating to voters how future needs might be addressed if statewide relief measures continue to shift the fiscal landscape.
