Air conditioning merits 'no' vote

The board of education of Glen Ellyn Elementary District 89 has a referendum on the Feb. 5 ballot requesting $24.8 million in bonds for various repairs and upgrades to the physical facilities such as boilers, roofs, electrical, plumbing and technology.

I served on this board for eight years. I am in agreement with this approach except for one item, which is nearly $5 million to air-condition all the facilities except Briar Glen which already has air conditioning.

If we lived in a southern climate, I can understand why this would be necessary. I do not believe the board is acting in a fiscally responsible manner in requesting air conditioning for nearly $5 million.

This referendum should be soundly defeated and hopefully the board will come back the next time to request all that they really need without $5 million for air conditioning.

The board has developed a feel-good rationale to support the cost of air conditioning. The brochure I received in the mail touts that "District 89 has the overall lowest total tax rate in the Glenbard feeder system." They also have a graph showing the overall tax rate declining over the next several years.

This does not mean your taxes will be reduced as the increase in the assessed valuation will keep your taxes up, even as the rate is reduced.

The more meaningful information would be the total tax bill, not just the rate. Unfortunately, the brochure also states that they will put the referendum back on the ballot in Fall 2008 or Spring 2009 if the referendum fails.

I will be voting against this referendum and hope the board will come to their senses and remove the nearly $5 million from a subsequent referendum when this one fails.

I will wholeheartedly support a referendum without the air conditioning.

Robert G.. Hartman

Glen Ellyn

former board member and president, Glen Ellyn

Elementary District 89