Category: Schools

IL Legislation to close “Lease” to avoid referendum loophole

Wheaton’s state Rep, Amy Grant has submitted a bill, HB2145 and Palatine Rep. Thomas Morrison has submitted a bill, HB2738 (virtually the same), to close the “loophole” that district 200 tried to use to avoid the referendum for a new Jefferson pre-school building. Other districts have already done this, and we fear it may be catching on like wildfire. If school boards can build new facilities without referendum by signing a lease-to-own agreement, then issue debt service extension base (DSEB) Bonds, without a referendum to shore up their general revenues (raising future taxes to pay then back), we are in real trouble. Using the magic word “Lease should not void the clear intent of the original law that requires a referendum for new construction.

I submitted written comments (similar to this post) with my witness slip in support of HB2145.

Continue reading “IL Legislation to close “Lease” to avoid referendum loophole” →

Shall Lisle D202 Reduce the Excess Tax Levy?

Lisle, school district 202 taxpayers will have a question on the April 2, 2019 ballot to lower property taxes. The question that will appear is:

Shall the amount extended for educational purposes by the Lisle Community Unit School District 202 be reduced from $19,062,127.15 to $17,155,915.00  for the 2018 levy year, but in no event lower than the amount required to maintain an adequacy target of 110%?

The following are screen shots (and a link) from Lisle Watchdog’s twitter page, taken on 2/28/2019.

Continue reading “Shall Lisle D202 Reduce the Excess Tax Levy?” →

REFERENDUM TO NOWHERE – Part 8 – Unfair, Wasteful and Unaffordable – $140,000,000.00 Referendum 3.1

This Referendum to Nowhere is UNFAIR because it does not address the fundamental and systemic issues faced by District 86.  The referendum does nothing to correct the student population imbalance between the Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South.  It does nothing to correct the curriculum inequity between Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South.  And finally, and more egregiously the referendum does nothing to address segregation within the District.

Continue reading “REFERENDUM TO NOWHERE – Part 8 – Unfair, Wasteful and Unaffordable – $140,000,000.00 Referendum 3.1” →

NO MEANS NO – Part 4 – D86 Can Do Better – $140,000,000.00 Referendum 3.1

After yet another failed referendum, it was our hope that our school district would work collaboratively with the community to develop a plan for our schools that would provide all our children a 21st century education in an equal, efficient, and affordable way.

It turns out we were being naïve. Days after the community rejected the unfair, wasteful, and unaffordable District 86 referendum, the district’s second straight failed referendum and the only November school referendum to fail in all of Chicagoland, they were already working to put yet another referendum on the ballot without ever engaging the public to develop a new plan that aligned with the community’s wishes. They then took the appalling step of taking away our children’s athletics and activities, holding them hostage unless we vote to pass their $140,000,000.00 tax increase in April. Continue reading “NO MEANS NO – Part 4 – D86 Can Do Better – $140,000,000.00 Referendum 3.1” →

NO Means No – Hinsdale High School District 86 (part 2)

Using Fear and Children

The November 6, 2018 defeat of the D86 $166,000,000.00 referendum came as a complete shock to the Board and its referendum supporters.  How could the voters do this?  Who do they think they are?  What was the Board going to do?  The Board and its supporters had to regroup and figure out a new approach.  This second referendum defeat in 18 months required a new and clever strategy to force a third bloated referendum on the voters.   Continue reading “NO Means No – Hinsdale High School District 86 (part 2)” →

NO MEANS NO – Hinsdale High School District 86 – Referendum 3.0

 

You have no doubt heard the extreme and inflamed rhetoric coming from the D86 Board and their referendum supporters since November 2018 General Election.  So for the sake of truth and honesty, let’s recap what our tax and spend D86 Board has accomplished in the last two years.  On April 4, 2017 the D86 voters clearly and convincingly voted NO on the Board’s proposed $79,000,000.00 bond referendum.  And they did not listen.  So on November 6, 2018, D86 voters repeated themselves in a second rejection by voting NO on the Board’s proposed $166,000,000.00 bond referendum.  And still they did not listen.  So now your D86 School Board continues in its pattern of defiance of the voters’ will and is proposing yet another unacceptable bond referendum for the April 2, 2019 Municipal Elections; this time for $130,000,000.00. Continue reading “NO MEANS NO – Hinsdale High School District 86 – Referendum 3.0” →

Lisle school referendum to reduce taxes

Congratulations to the taxpayers in Lisle, school district 202.  You will be among the first to have a question on your ballot to lower your property taxes. The question that will appear on your April 2, 2019 Consolidated election ballot will be:

 

Shall the amount extended for educational purposes by the Lisle Community Unit School District 202 be reduced from $19,062,127.15 to $17,155,915.00  for the 2018 levy year, but in no event lower than the amount required to maintain an adequacy target of 110%?

Continue reading “Lisle school referendum to reduce taxes” →

Proposal to save taxpayers $6.2M

[Open letter to] CUSD 200 Board members,

Congratulations, Wheaton-Warrenville District 200 voted to build a new Jefferson preschool without raising taxes.

D200 said it could fund the project from operating revenue.  So tell me, why is the district still planning to use 20-year “lease certificates,” which will cost the taxpayers $6.2M more than necessary?   These tax dollars should be paying for educating students and maintaining our buildings rather than funneling them to consultants and out of state lenders. Continue reading “Proposal to save taxpayers $6.2M” →