A New Homestead High School = NO TAX INCREASE
At a recent informational meeting at Homestead High School (HHS) Southwest Allen County Schools’ (SACS) district leaders spoke to the community about The Homestead High School Construction Project.
If all goes as planned, beginning late 2020 or early 2021, Homestead will undergo a three-to four-year construction project that will result in an essentially new building for a maximum cost of about $168 million. District officials expect about 20 percent of the existing building will be repurposed. The new layout will be more student-friendly and that the project will address traffic flow on campus. It will also address the original mechanical systems and overall limitations of the school due to the district's growth since HHS originally opened in 1971.
Several factors, including good financial management, a good maintenance program and retiring debt enables SACS to support a project of this magnitude without raising taxes. Before the project can proceed, however, the district must hold two public 1028 hearings set for March 5 and March 19 at 7 p.m. at SACS Administration Office (4824 Homestead Road.)
"Right now, our debt service obligations are rolling off from the debt we incurred over many years," Dr. Phil Downs, SACS Superintendent said. "We can place the new high school project debt within that tax rate, not raise taxes, and still preserve flexibility going forward."
Below are recent Homestead High School Construction Project stories from our local media: