In the next few days, registered voters of Durham-Hillsboro-Lehigh USD 410 should begin receiving ballots for the local option budget mail-in election, which went in the mail today.

Voters will decide whether the district will keep the part of the budget generated by local funds at the current 33 percent, or roll it back to 31 percent.

Last year, voters approved an increase to 31 percent, and the school board approved a one-year option to increase to 33 percent. Coupled with state supplementation, the move decreased local property taxes this past year by 2.4 mills, Superintendent Steve Noble said.

A vote for the proposal would make the 33 percent LOB ceiling permanent, although the board could set a lower amount in future years.

“All we’re asking voters to do is maintain current revenue for USD 410,” Noble said.

Voting down the proposal would result in additional budget cuts beyond those imposed by the new state education block grant funding scheme recently enacted by the Kansas legislature and signed by Gov. Sam Brownback.

Ballots must be returned to the county clerk by April 28.