Hobart School Board Proposes Sale of Ridge View Elementary for $1.27 Million
The Hobart School Board held a public hearing on the sale of Ridge View Elementary, which closed in 2020. The average appraisal set the minimum bid at $1.27 million. The school, built in 1955, is deemed unviable due to age and retrofitting challenges. Superintendent Peggy Buffington highlighted financial pressures from state property tax caps, which significantly reduced the district's tax revenue. The district faces rising operational costs and will not benefit from a proposed Amazon data center due to boundary issues.

The Hobart School Board is moving forward with the sale of Ridge View Elementary, closed since 2020, following a public hearing where no comments were made. The average of two appraisals set the minimum bid price at $1.27 million.
Superintendent Peggy Buffington stated that the school, built in 1955, is no longer viable due to age and the difficulty of retrofitting. Financial constraints, driven by state property tax caps limiting tax increases, have led to significant revenue losses for the district.
Buffington noted that the district's NIPSCO bill was nearly $2 million last year, with an expected 18% increase. Additionally, a proposed Amazon data center will not benefit the district due to boundary issues.




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