Schaumburg library won't seek referendum

In a sudden change from a direction that had been pursued for months, Schaumburg Township District Library trustees Monday agreed not to put a tax-hike referendum on the April 5 ballot.

Board President Robert Lyons said the recommendation to take a pass on the referendum came about through a discussion that morning among himself, board Treasurer Robert Frankel and library Executive Director Stephanie Sarnoff.

All seven trustees voted unanimously in favor of the recommendation that night.

“If we can go without having this referendum now, the vast majority of people I know will be jumping for joy,” Trustee Nick Scipione said.

The board had been leaning toward asking voters to replace the expiring tax hike that built the current central library in Schaumburg with a slightly lesser increase to fund operational expenses.

But because the library's finances are sound and because of the overall tax climate, Lyons recommended holding off on a referendum until it's more needed.

The basic sales pitch of the referendum campaign was intended to be built around the fact that the new tax rate would still be lower than the one automatically expiring in 2012, Lyons said.

“We decided that it's opportunistic,” he said Monday of that planned approach. “If it doesn't have to be this year; let's wait. At that point, we'll tell people, ‘This is what it will actually cost you.'”

Frankel said the board had been leaning toward requesting a referendum for 31 cents per $100 of equalized assessed value. This year that would have generated $1.5 million instead of the $1.7 million generated by the prior tax hike to build the central library.

By the time that old tax hike expires in 2012, the library expects to see its annual revenue drop by about $1.1 million, Frankel said.

Lyons said the library has reserves it can spend down before a tax hike becomes absolutely necessary.

While all board members agreed with the decision, Vice President Adam Sesso and Trustee Debby Miller criticized Lyons for informing their colleagues and the media of the changed recommendation before them.

“Thousands of Daily Herald readers found out before the vice president of the board,” Sesso said.

Lyons apologized to Sesso and Miller.