They may be a tough sell, but money issues back on the ballot this fall

After a couple of quiet election cycles during the recession, suburban governments are starting to creep back toward the ballot seeking more money from taxpayers.

But a difficult economic climate and the sense the public has a low opinion of government leaders in Illinois could make any financial question on the November ballot a tough sell, according to some tax watchdogs.

"These recent scandals have had a ripple effect on local officials," said Terry Pastika, who heads the Elmhurst-based Citizen Advocacy Center, a group that monitors government abuse of power.

However, Gurnee Elementary District 56 Superintendent John Hutton believes the potential hurdles can be overcome by letting taxpayers know why their help is needed now.

"Certainly, the negativity that has occurred as a result of the recession is a concern to us," Hutton said.

Much of the referendum activity has been in Lake County, where borrowing proposals from Gurnee District 56 and Millburn Elementary District 24 and a Lake Zurich village sales-tax increase question are among those recently approved for the Nov. 2 ballot.

The number of ballot issues could grow tonight when Deer Park officials are expected to approve a sales-tax hike referendum question.

Under state law, today is the deadline for local governing boards to adopt a resolution or ordinance to allow a binding public question to appear on the ballot.

Officials at public bodies over the past two years have commonly lamented their budget woes, but cited the recession as a reason to not hit up taxpayers for more cash.

Now, some government officials say they can't wait any longer and need to seek more money for operations or building projects. For example, officials at Millburn say a property tax increase is needed to raise at least $1.1 million to offset state funding shortfalls.

District 24 school board President Shawn Lahr said officials realize home prices are flat or dipping and taxes are still rising, but more money is needed for the 2011-12 academic year to avoid additional education budget cuts.

"We have to ask if people are willing to support it or not," Lahr said.

Just one tax-hike proposal surfaced in Lake County for the Feb. 2 general primary election. That compares to about 25 questions regarding tax-rate increases and borrowing from a variety of local governments on the February 2005 ballot.

At Gurnee District 56, voter approval will be sought to borrow about $28.5 million to build a new school. Under the plan, District 56 officials would leave flood-prone Gurnee Grade School if the new building is built in Wadsworth.

One selling point for proponents of that referendum question is property taxes would stay relatively flat, because about $15 million in debt would be retired by 2014. The money used to repay that loan would simply be shifted toward retiring the new debt, officials said.

Rejection of the referendum would mean an owner of a $300,000 market value home would pay a slightly higher $525 to the bond-and-interest fund in the 2010 tax year, but find an eventual decline to $207 in 2015, according to District 56 figures.

Joseph Calomino, director of the Americans for Prosperity watchdog group's Illinois chapter, said without a complete audit, it's difficult for a voter to determine the validity of the claims about future taxes remaining flat if the Gurnee proposal passes.

Calomino also said there could be other costs, such as staffing of the new building, that are difficult to estimate and may wind up costing taxpayers later. He said he doubts voters will be eager to approve financial referendum questions in today's climate.

"What we've seen is the public has a low sense of faith in government at all levels," Calomino said.

Lake Zurich Trustee Jim Johnson said he believes proponents can make a good case to voters for a half-percentage-point sales tax increase to help fund capital improvement projects or provide property tax relief.

Johnson said the village board has demonstrated a commitment to fiscal responsibility by trimming at least 24 employees and holding the line on raises. He said any mistrust of politicians by Lake Zurich residents should be negated by the fact there are no longtime village board members, with three of the trustees having come aboard in April 2009.

Still, Johnson knows it won't be easy to get Lake Zurich's sales tax increase approved.

"I think there is a tendency nationally now ... for people to want change and for people to not want increased taxes," he said.