The Carmel Clay School District is working to renew the operating referendum in the municipal election, which will take place Nov. 7. According to Superintendent Michael Beresford, if the referendum fails, the district will lose teachers, staff members and programs, resulting in increased class sizes.

 “93% of our education fund—well, actually it might even be higher than that—is used (for) the pay and benefits for teachers, guidance counselors, principals, assistant principals—that sort of thing,” Beresford said. “The referendum is 20% of that fund…So, if 20% of your budget goes away, (you’ve) got to eliminate 20%. It would be like (cutting) one in five teachers.”

Beresford said the referendum is a renewal of the previous operating referendum passed in 2017. The current referendum’s tax rate of 19 cents generates around 25 million dollars annually.

He said, “This (referendum) isn’t raising anything. It’s just continuing what we’re doing right now. People say, ‘Well, how much extra is it going to cost me?’ I say, ‘It’s exactly what you’re paying right now.’”

Senior Roohi Sanka said she hopes the referendum will be renewed.

“I wouldn’t really like the increased class sizes if the referendum failed,” Sanka said. “(In smaller classes), you’re able to kind of have better interactions with your teachers and students around you. I once had a class with like ten people, and I thought it was really helpful. It was also easier and less overwhelming to ask questions.”

Beresford said he is cautiously optimistic about the referendum’s renewal.

“One thing I worry about is apathy,” he said. “Sometimes, (people tend to think), ‘Oh, this is Carmel. It’s going to pass. I don’t need to vote. It’ll be fine.’ Apathy is scary to me because people who don’t want something, you know, people who are against stuff, show up and they vote. But when you’re for something and you’re optimistic, you tend to (think), ‘Oh, it’ll be ok.’ That makes me nervous.

He added, “I will always worry about (the referendum) because it’s so big, but do I have confidence in our community? Absolutely, I do.”