District 57 considers tax hike request in 2012

Mount Prospect Elementary District 57 leaders continue to explore the possibility of asking voters to approve a tax hike next year.

The discussion comes in light of dwindling district reserves, bigger-than-desired class sizes and recent classroom cuts.

The school board will talk about the idea more at its regular meeting next Thursday. No final decision is expected to be made at that meeting.

“The board and the administration are still in the fact-finding stages of this,” District Superintendent Elaine Aumiller said. “We’re not yet ready to make a formal recommendation.”

The earliest that a question would appear on the ballot is March of 2012. To make it on that ballot, the school board would have to make a final decision on a referendum by mid-December.

Later opportunities would include November of 2012 and April of 2013.

District leaders understand that a tax hike is a difficult issue to consider, especially in a down economy.

“It’s a nearly unprecedented time,” board President Michael Berry said. “The economy has affected everyone, which makes this a tough time to talk about a referendum. I would contend, though, that the school district is a key baseline service for the community, and that the community has gotten tremendous value out of it so far. It’s something we need to maintain.”

Like many districts in the suburbs, District 57 has watched expenses outstrip revenues in recent years. Officials dipped into reserves to help cover recent shortfalls, which has resulted in reserve levels falling from nearly 70 percent of expenses in 2008 to a projected 50 percent at the end of this fiscal year.

Other measures were taken for the current fiscal year. The district laid off 25 employees — a mix of teachers and support staff — and hiked fees for such programs as bus service and the Kids Corner child-care program. (Six employees were later rehired in light of a jump in enrollment.)

The budget for fiscal year 2012, which the administration will present to the board on Thursday, includes no money for capital improvements, Aumiller said.

“Usually you include something just to cover basic repairs and upkeep,” she said.

Thursday’s school board meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Fairview School, 300 E. Fairview Ave., Mount Prospect.