advertisement

Roselle District 12 meeting on tax hike draws supporters

Supporters of a proposed tax hike in Roselle Elementary District 12 admit they'll face some stiff resistance.

"You're going to hit a lot of opposition," said Rick Fazio, a parent of district alums. "There's no way around it."

Members of a group called Save our Schools acknowledged as much during a school board finance meeting Tuesday, when they announced they will be canvassing neighborhoods and blasting social media to garner votes for the measure.

Speaking before almost 100 people and few vocal critics at Roselle Middle School, school board members continued to paint a bleak financial picture as the district asks voters in the March 15 primary election to approve a property tax increase that would cost the owner of a home with a $250,000 market value about $500 more a year.

The district initially forecast roughly an $844,000 budget shortfall for the 2016-17 school year. Regardless of whether voters reject or support the tax increase, the district plans to make about $400,000 in cuts, including eliminating full-day kindergarten and offering only a half-day program in the next school year.

If the proposal fails, the district would continue to face deficits, would likely increase class sizes and cut student extracurriculars such as drama club, newspaper and athletics, Superintendent Melissa Kaczkowski said.

"That's not the road I think we want to go down as a district," said parent John Mensik, drawing loud applause from the crowd.

The increase would generate almost $1.5 million annually, helping the 725-student district turn around its finances and avoid program cuts, Kaczkowski said.

In response to several questions from those in the audience, district officials sought to separate the referendum proposal from upcoming negotiations on a new teachers contract, due to expire in June.

"You also have to realize at the same time the size of the structural deficit that we're facing has built up over years and the size of the dollars in facility repairs that we're facing, just because of the age of the buildings, you cannot put that on the back of teacher salaries," board member Henry Thiele said.

The district and its architects have uncovered an estimated $5 million in priority construction projects that should be completed in its three buildings, two of which are more than 50-year-old schools.

"Many of our mechanical systems have outlived their life expectancy, and it would be prudent for us to try to get ahead of the replacements," Kaczkowski said.

The board has sent an application to the Illinois State Board of Education to borrow up to $7.97 million in qualified school construction bonds at low interest rates.

The ISBE will award up to $50 million in bonding authority per applicant, prioritizing school districts that are "shovel ready."

The tax increase alone would allow the district only to tackle the list of projects in schools at a "much slower pace," Kaczkowski has said.

"I'd hate to see anything degrade," said Bonnie Rimer, a lifelong resident who's helping organize Save Our Schools.

Last April, Moody's Investors Service downgraded the district's bond rating and assigned a "negative outlook," citing regular operating deficits, "declining, though still satisfactory" reserves and a modest tax base.

"We are a bedroom community. That is our reality. And as such, the brunt of this does fall to homeowners," Kaczkowski told the crowd.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.