Legislators meet with Dist. 21 board

In what they hope will be the first of a series of meetings with local school officials, four state legislators met Thursday with the Wheeling Township Elementary District 21 school board.

The main topic of discussion with state Sen. Terry Link, a Waukegan Democrat; Sen. Matt Murphy, a Palatine Republican; Rep. Kathy Ryg, a Vernon Hills Democrat; and Rep. Sid Mathias, a Buffalo Grove Republican, was school finances and the recent hold-ups in passing the state budget.

Cook County property tax bills will be going out late because the state legislature just recently passed a tax relief provision for the area, limiting the size of assessment increases in one year.

District 21 on Thursday had to vote to issue tax anticipation warrants, which allows the district to borrow the money it's expecting from those tax bills that are coming in late. However, to borrow that $12 million, the district will be spending about $300,000 in interest.

"It's created an enormous burden on school districts," school board member Arlen Gould said.

Gould said Cook County has a reputation for sending out late bills, but this time it was a combination of the county and the state creating the problem.

The drawn-out session in Springfield also means that schools won't be getting the $600 million in state funding laid out for them until the state budget is passed.

The legislators assured board members that education is a priority and that they shared the frustrations of money hold-ups.