Brochure should have all the facts

I received the School District 200 brochure in the mail recently, describing the upcoming referendum for the new school. It's a very nice, large, 17 x 22 broad sheet. So, looking it over, there is a small table graphic showing the annual property tax increases taxpayers will pay for this. Well, if you scrutinize the table in the brochure called "Projected Annual Tax Impact" it only shows the cost amortization for the next five years. However, the cost will be spread over the next 14 years. So my question is, why can't the entire 14-year annual tax impact be displayed? There certainly is enough room in the brochure.

What I'm wondering is, as governmental bodies ask for more money each year, why can't they present us with the facts so we can make our own determination if the proposal is affordable to us? When you look at the chart in the brochure, you might think "Gee, only $111 more each year for a brand new school ... not too bad. After all, the old school in downtown Wheaton is getting pretty old ..." But in small print below the table graphic the brochure states: "A complete debt retirement schedule can be found on the District's Web site at: cusd200.org Hubble Referendum Schedule."

So my question is, with such a nice large leafy brochure, why can't the actual taxpayer costs to finance the proposal be presented? They certainly could have squeezed it in as this is important information!

It's not that the district is hiding anything, it's the nature of government entities to supply facts that are in their best interest.

Mike White

Warrenville