Endorsement: District 200 middle school referendum

We have no doubt that Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 must build a new Hubble Middle School for it students.

And we recommend a yes vote on the borrowing plan that would accomplish this task.

The present Hubble Middle School in Wheaton is over 80 years old -- and it shows. It needs a ton of repair work in order to create the best learning environment for students. Such an overhaul would be fiscally unwise, as it would cost more than the $58 million that would be spent to build a new middle school.

The only good reason for not building the new school on Herrick Road in Warrenville would be if the site is dangerously contaminated. Just such concerns had been raised. But the Illinois Environmental Protection agency has since concluded that the site "does not constitute a threat to human health." The land is safe.

The $58 million borrowing plan calls for debt to be paid back over 14 years. Tax bills would increase over time. The biggest tax increase would come in 2021, when the owner of a $350,000 house would be paying $454 in additional property taxes.

However, the bill for borrowing money could drop once the current Hubble site is sold, which District 200 intends to do if the proposal to build a new school is approved. The site is appraised at $21.7 million. Whatever the final sale price, that money should be used toward retirement of Hubble School debt.

But a case has been made for a tax increase for a new school. Students clearly need a Hubble school that is more habitable to learning.