Most west suburban voters in Tuesday’s election seemed willing to pay for new construction, but they were not as eager to grant tax rate increases for their school districts’ education funds.
The trend was repeated elsewhere in the six-county Chicago area, where about 87 percent of the bond questions and 59 percent of the tax increases passed. Elsewhere in the state, 71 percent of bond requests passed, while only 46 percent of the tax increases were approved.
That message was the clearest in St. Charles District 303, where about 52 percent of voters said yes to a $43 million bond issue earmarked for new schools to handle booming enrollments. But nearly 56 percent of voters said no to a tax rate increase.
The construction dollars will be used to buy land and build two elementary schools, among other things. The district is expected to grow by 2,000 students to about 13,500 by the year 2010.
The failure of the tax-rate question, which would have raised the rate 15 cents per $100 of equalized assessed valuation, ends hoped-for improvements, officials said Wednesday. Those plans had included holding class sizes in kindergarten through 2nd grade to 25 pupils, improving maintenance districtwide and extending the middle school day by 30 minutes.
“Those three things are now up in the air,” said district spokesman Tom Hernandez, who added that the school board might return to the voters later this year or next spring with another tax hike request.
Similarly, officials in Marquardt Elementary School District 15 in Glendale Heights were considering what cuts might be needed after 60 percent of voters rejected a tax rate increase of 67 cents.
The money would have been used to make sure the 2,700 pupils in District 15 receive an education comparable to nearby school districts, officials said. The district is one of the poorest with an almost 23 percent poverty rate, according to state statistics.
“We wanted to reduce class sizes, to add much-needed literacy teachers, especially in reading. And we need to address our gifted program,” said Supt. Loren May, who added that the district has only one gifted teacher who roams among five buildings. Foreign language classes also were planned.
This is the first time in 18 years that the school district has asked voters for a tax increase, May said, and “obviously we’re disappointed.”
That sentiment also prevailed at the College of DuPage, where a 7-cent tax rate increase was defeated by 60 percent of the voters. It was the college’s first request for a tax hike in 26 years, officials said, and would have raised about $18 million a year. That money would have been used to remodel the 275-acre Glen Ellyn campus, including upgrades to dilapidated buildings and the addition of a new curriculum.
“There’s no way we can [make the improvements] without more tax dollars,” said Tom Ryan, the college’s vice president for administrative affairs.
Two tax rate questions passed. In Naperville District 203, voters approved a 53-cent increase. And in Bensenville District 2, voters approved an 80-cent hike in the education fund tax rate.
Overall, however, most of the good news came in building proposals, particularly those in fast-growing communities where overcrowded classrooms are a pressing need.
In West Aurora School District 129, for example, 58 percent of voters said yes to a $59 million building bond to ease crowding.
Past proposals in the district have failed, but organizers said this year that they were able to make a strong case for the school district by linking the importance of a strong school system to community pride.
“Any community that wants to thrive and do well has to have strong schools,” Aurora businessman Bill Lenert said Wednesday. Lenert was a co-chairman of the referendum organizing committee.
Because of high enrollment growth, District 129 will use the money to pay for a new elementary school, a middle school, and additions and renovations to existing buildings.
In Lake Park High School District 108 in Roselle, growing enrollments also have created crowded conditions. Voters there approved a $45 million bond issue that will be used for remodeling and additions to the district’s two campuses.
