Wauconda residents sign petition against Dist. 118 bonds

Wauconda Unit School District 118 started off their board meeting Thursday night with public comments and concerns on their recent decision to apply for $16.9 million in cash bonds.

In the past few weeks several community members have taken issue with the bonds because no referendum is required, but very few were there to speak up.

Wauconda resident and parent Mary Schorr said there needs to be a referendum and taxpayers need to have a say in the funds.

Schorr and other parents have started a petition against the bonds that would force it to referendum. The petition needs 1,543 valid signatures by Oct. 8 to force the bonds to referendum.

As of Thursday afternoon, Schorr said they had about 1,200 signatures, but are striving for 2,000 by the deadline.

Schorr was not able to make the meeting, but said they are making a "big push" in petitioning this final weekend.

The board applied for $16.9 million in bonds to help pay for costs such as payroll. Board members say the bonds are necessary to meet their costs for the fiscal school year. In past years, the district has used what business manager Bill Harkin called "tax anticipation warrants" without referendum to serve the same purpose.

These warrants are a sort of savings account to provide the district with money they anticipate they will need until they receive their funds from the state, Harkin said. Payments from the state are given to the school in June and September, Harkin said, and by spring the school is in need of more finances.

"The (state) money that we're getting in September has to carry us through the rest of the year," Harkin said.

Last year, the district took out almost 10 million in "tax anticipation warrants," Harkin said.