Redmer, Meyer win seats on Elgin Community College board

Incumbent Donna Redmer and challenger Jeffrey Meyer were elected to 6-year terms on the Elgin Community College board Tuesday.

With all precincts in Cook, DuPage, Kane, McHenry and DeKalb counties reporting, unofficial vote totals show Redmer received 13,906 votes and Meyer garnered 12,107 votes, while incumbent Bob Getz received 11,856 votes.

None of the candidates support a future tax levy increase and believe in keeping college tuition low. Of 39 community colleges statewide, only 14 have tuition lower than ECC, which also is below the state average.

Redmer, of Dundee Township, a retired educator completing her first term on the board, said teaching college-level credit courses in high school could save incoming students time and transportation costs.

Meyer, 33, an Elgin attorney, said community colleges could be next in line on the chopping block of state education funding cuts. He said making sure students aren't taking courses they don't need and teaching credit courses off-site could reduce the college's instructional costs.

The college also has increased its bonded debt by $178 million since 2009, quadrupling its debt burden, according to Meyer.

Getz, 72, of Elgin, is a retired Harper College administrator who has served 12 years on the board. He suggested the college should lower its tax rate by paying off more debt.

The property tax cap limits how much the college can increase its tax rate - up to 5 percent or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower.