CLEARFIELD – Clearfield County voters in all school districts defeated referendum questions in Tuesday’s election.
The questions varied by district, but all included a request to change the way people pay school taxes.
The shift would have placed more of the tax burden on those who earn income and less burden on those who own homes. Some people, though, would have been paying more in taxes if they earned more than the so-called “break even” point.
The “break even” point represents the dollar value a person who works and owns a home would have to earn in order to pay the same school taxes. People earning more than the “break even” point would pay more taxes; those who earn less would pay less in taxes.
In Clearfield Area School District, 54.97 percent of voters voted against the referendum and 45.03 percent voted yes.
Purchase Line voters defeated the referendum with 61.58 percent voting no and 38.42 percent voting yes.
Philipsburg-Osceola voters were divided into regions. In Region 6, 48.39 percent voted no and 51.61 voted yes, a difference of five votes. Region 7 voters voted no 56.79 percent of the time and yes 43.21 percent of the time. In Region 8, 57.89 percent of voters said no to the ballot question, and 42.11 percent voted yes. For Region 9 voters, 55.49 percent of voters said no to the question with 44.51 percent voting yes.
Curwensville Area School District voters defeated the question with a vote of 52.33 percent voting no and 47.67 percent voting yes.
DuBois Area School District’s District A voted no 61.39 percent of the time with 38.61 percent of voters saying yes. District B voters chose no 61.71 percent of the time with 38.29 percent of voters saying yes. In District C, 57.31 percent of voters voted no, and 42.69 percent of voters voted yes.
Glendale voters defeated the referendum as well with a vote of 58.28 no and 41.72 yes in Region 2. Region 3 voters also said no to the referendum with a vote of no 55.06 percent of the time and yes 44.94 percent of the time.
In Harmony, 65.02 percent of voters said no to the question; 34.98 percent of voters said yes.
Moshannon Valley voters also quashed the referendum with a vote of 52.66, no; 47.34, yes.
At West Branch, voters were also divided into areas. In Region 1, vote results were: 53.29 percent, no; 46.71 percent, yes. In Region 2: 55.23 percent, no; 44.77, yes. For Region 3: 55.18, no; 44.82, yes.
The trend in Clearfield County reflects what is being seen elsewhere in the state. VotesPA.com reports that the vast majority of voters defeated the various referendum questions.