Woodland district urges vote to raise sales tax

Woodland Elementary District 50 board members Wednesday night officially supported the idea of seeking a 1 percentage point hike in Lake County's sales tax as a way to finance construction expenses at all area schools.

Preliminary estimates show Gurnee-based District 50 would receive $550 per student annually -- or about $3.85 million -- if the 1 percentage point sales tax boost were to gain voter approval. The referendum question would appear in November if enough other school districts give the idea a thumbs-up.

Under a new state law, school boards representing at least 51 percent of the student population of a county are allowed to pass resolutions to get the sales tax question on the ballot. Local county board members can put the tax hike to a vote on their own or at the request of school districts.

Woodland school board President Bruce Bohren said it would be a chance for Lake County schools to take advantage of sales tax generated by many out-of-towners shopping at Gurnee Mills and elsewhere.

"It does have a lot of advantages," Bohren said, "and I hope it moves forward."

At Wednesday's meeting, Woodland board members voted 5-0 in favor of a resolution to ask voter permission for the countywide 1 percentage point increase. Woodland joined Millburn Elementary District as the first to favor the referendum question in November.

Money from the sales tax would help pay for school renovations, new buildings, architects, land acquisition and other construction-related expenses for schools across Lake County. The cash also could go toward paying down debt from previous building projects.

Woodland Associate Superintendent Robert Leonard, who's studied the new law in depth, said schools need more money from sources other than property taxes. He said the countywide 1 percentage point increase would be fair.

"It's not a sales tax on food or autos or anything with a license," Leonard said. "It's not on ... medical."

Not all local school districts support pursuing an increase. Three members of Grayslake's high school district facilities and finance committee declined to recommend supporting the concept, in part, because no construction projects are on the horizon there.

It would take backing from at least 11 of the largest of Lake County's 45 school districts to get the measure on the November ballot. With more than 7,000 students, Woodland is in the upper tier of the county's big districts.

Williamson County in southern Illinois was the first to place the schools sales tax question on the ballot this month. Voters approved a 1 percentage point tax increase on general merchandise items.

School districts would receive money based on student population. Cook County was excluded from the law.