Recent donations from home builders will cover more than half the expenses of a citizens group trying to pass an $88 million bond issue to reduce overcrowding in Carpentersville-based Community Unit School District 300, according to a spokesman for the group. Dave Henderson, chairman of the group, Schools Now for District 300, said that with three unsuccessful bond issue proposals behind them and an expansive district that covers several northwest suburbs, running a referendum campaign won’t be cheap.
That is why the group hopes the nearly $35,000 it has received from builders and additional funds they expect from other developers will help pay the lion’s share of the campaign costs.
Simply sending out a mailing to residents of the district, which operates schools in Hampshire, West Dundee, Algonquin, Lake in the Hills, Sleepy Hollow and Carpentersville, can cost $9,000, Henderson said.
Under state law, no limit is placed on who or how much money can be donated to an election campaign, said Rupert Borgsmiller, director of campaign disclosure with the state elections board.
The only things not allowed are anonymous donations or contributions in the name of another person, he said.
Although there may be nothing illegal about the donations, a local tax watchdog group says voters should be wary of the fact that builders are donating money and asking taxpayers to pay for new schools needed as a result of their construction.
Henderson declined to estimate the cost of the entire effort by Schools Now.
“I’d rather not do that,” he said. “It tells the opposition what our budget is.”
The bond issue would provide the funds to build three, or possibly four, elementary schools and pay for renovations to existing buildings and improvements in technology. “We’re working very hard to get it turned out for the benefit of this district,” Henderson said.
The committee reported that it has received $30,000 from two area developers: Realen Homes, which is building 300 houses and 100 town homes in Algonquin, and Pulte Home Corp., which hopes to build a 314-unit subdivision in West Dundee.
Schools Now said it is expecting another $10,000 from Pulte. Campaign contribution forms filed with the Illinois Board of Elections revealed that two other builders have donated $4,500 and the committee has received $25,950 in donations from other individuals.
