Suburban schools would lose millions

This newspaper has been featuring front-page stories on Senate Bill 16 hearings in the Illinois House. This was the bill passed by the Senate last spring and sets up a new funding formula/scheme for public schools. The bill is designed to reduce state financial aid to "wealthy districts" and increase payments to those less "well off" and with "greater needs."

The change does not provide "new" revenue; it only redistributes funds. Missing from the Herald's coverage is the amount of funds gained or lost, dollar amounts easily obtained from the Illinois State Board of Education's website. ISBE is statutorily required to provide lawmakers and the public with these figures. They show a reduction in funding for seven Northwest suburban school districts that is in excess of $53 million if the House passes the bill as currently written. The districts and their losses are: Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54, $12.4 million; Palatine Township Elementary District 15, $11.1 million; Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211, $8 million; Northwest Suburban High School District 214, $7.5 million; Wheeling Township Elementary District 21, $5.9 million; Barrington Area Unit District 220, $5.4 million; Arlington Heights Elementary District 25, $3.3 million.

Districts 54 and 15 alone would lose $1,000 per student. It should also be noted that Chicago Public Schools would lose approximately $110 per student under the proposed scheme, but bear in mind that residential property taxes in Chicago are approximately 40 percent less than an equally assessed residential property in the suburbs. Isn't that special!

For schools to continue providing current services in the communities served by Districts 15 and 211, the proposed formula/scheme means a tax increase of over $400 for a home with a market value of $350,000.

Please contact your representative today and let them know this change in school funding is unacceptable.

Joe H. Heater

Palatine