Big Hollow mulling how much to request

Big Hollow officials are taking the community up on a promise they made three months ago.

School officials will ask voters for a property tax increase on Feb. 5.

And the same residents who requested officials at the cash-starved school district hold off on making deep cuts are being asked to help get out the vote.

Jan Carsella, vice president of the Big Hollow School District 38 board, said officials will meet Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. in the multimedia room of the middle school, at the corner of Nippersink and Fishlake roads in Ingleside. They are expected to decide how much to ask for on the upcoming ballot.

"We got feedback in both directions about the referendum, but we are running a deficit budget so we need to go out and ask the taxpayers for more money," she said. "This can't continue to go on, and the only way to increase revenue at this point is to pass a referendum."

She said the district is looking into whether to go out for a permanent tax-rate increase or to ask the public to raise property taxes for a limited time to offset the district's deficit.

"Our goal is to have a decision on the 15th of October," she said. "Our biggest concern is that we don't want to sock it to the taxpayers, but we need to see which one is best for us."

Voters rejected two proposals in 2006. The first, in April, asked voters to raise property taxes by $1.25 per $100 equalized assessed valuation. After that was voted down, the district dropped the request in November to 75 cents per $100 EAV.

The district has been having money troubles since its population grew by more than 1,000 students in the past decade. The district now serves 1,400.

During each of the last three years, the district has been forced to take out short-term tax-anticipation loans. In all, the district has borrowed more than $5 million.

This year, the district is expected to borrow additional $3 million to cover bills until tax money can be claimed in June 2008.

District officials tried to cut programs prior to the start of this school year but limited the cuts after parents protested. In exchange, parents promised to support the district in a future tax increase referendum.

The district originally intended to cut recess, lunchroom monitors, music, art and computer instruction.

In the end, the district agreed to cut art and music and computer classes for kindergarten and students in grades sixth though eighth grades. They also made extracurricular activities pay-to-play and increased school fees.