Dist. 303 school tax to go to voters

A yearlong discussion on the future of St. Charles schools culminated Monday with a recommendation to pursue a massive, taxpayer-funded construction project.

If the school board agrees, officials say details of the potentially $292 million referendum request to renovate or rebuild all 17 District 303 schools could be finalized by January.

"Now that you've handed us the baton, it's our turn to do the work," board member Scott Nowling told an audience of about 60 at Monday's meeting.

The recommendation was the result of more than a dozen meetings where the public was invited to weigh in on school issues such as class sizes and facilities. Over the course of a year, about 1,100 people attended, Superintendent Don Schlomann said.

Jim Keller, a representative of the community group known as Summit 303, said about 80 percent of those involved concluded the district needs at least some form of facilities improvements. Among them, 70 percent "urged" a districtwide approach, he said.

On Monday, four residents spoke critically of the plan and Summit 303 process, which some claimed were tainted by a large showing of district staff and students who don't pay local property taxes.

"This was clearly orchestrated," said Leslie Man, who called Summit 303 a "scam."

Another resident, Brian Litteral, said that given current economic conditions and unemployment, asking voters to raise taxes "just doesn't seem to be the prudent thing to do right now."

Since the early 1990s, District 303 voters have rejected district tax hike requests five times, officials said.

The latest proposal is up for school board review Dec. 17.

Tax: District 303 residents have voted down tax increase requests five times since '90s