Dist. 125 hopefuls differ on Stevenson High’s finances

The seven candidates for the Stevenson High School District 125 board disagree about how the district’s finances are being handled.

A team of incumbents and their newcomer ally say the board has spent and saved money judiciously in recent years, and that’s why they’re solidly in the black with no need for a tax-rate increase to pay the bills.

Their foes, however, say the board has saved too much money and ought to look for ways to cut the roughly $95 million annual budget, including laying off administrators and eliminating non-merit raises for teachers.

Seven candidates are seeking four seats on the Lincolnshire school’s board. They’re split into two camps.

Incumbents Bruce Lubin, Terry Moons and Merv Roberts are running with newcomer David Weisberg.

Challenging them are candidates Kim Brady, Charles Cardella and Kathy Powell.

The candidates have talked about the district’s financial picture in interviews and in questionnaires that tackled several issues.

Roberts defended the district’s estimated $30 million savings. Having a significant positive balance helps a school ride through financial bumps in the road, such as late payments from the state — something government agencies across Illinois are experiencing now.

Reducing the amount of taxes the district collects would lead to deficit spending and quicken the board’s need to ask voters to increase taxes, Roberts said.

“We’re satisfied with where we’re at,” he said.

The district has asked voters to approve tax increases twice, in 2002 and 1968.

Brady acknowledged the merits of having a positive fund balance and said he’s glad Stevenson’s savings has been increasing. Because of the recent recession, however, everybody has been tightening their belts, Brady said — and the school should, too.

Although he stopped short of saying the board has been irresponsible with the taxpayers’ money, Brady said officials must “make sure we’re spending wisely.”

“I’m surprised that with all of their experience, they haven’t been a little more aggressive (with cutting) expenditures,” Brady said.

When asked if he had any budget cuts to recommend, Brady said he didn’t “have the full view of the financials.” He eventually suggested investigating if Stevenson’s driver-education program can be conducted more economically.

Cardella asked why Stevenson’s expenses are rising as the student population decreases. He suggested consolidating or eliminating some administrative positions.

Cardella also backed compensating teachers with raises solely based on performance, rather than traditional increases for longevity and experience.

“Merit pay — wouldn’t that be something,” Cardella said.

The district’s current four-year contract with teachers expires in August.

Moons said district leaders have reduced spending. Over the past two years, 31 employees have been cut from the staff, she said. Additionally, new employees now participate in a health care program with lower costs, and contracts for busing, heating and other services were reduced by $607,000 last year.

“The board has done an excellent job cutting expenses,” Moons said.

Powell was critical of what she called Stevenson’s “substantial surplus.” She also opposed the board’s recent decision to increase the district’s tax levy, the figure that represents the maximum amount of tax dollars the district can collect.

The board has promised the move would not increase homeowners’ tax payments to the district.

Although it’s common practice across the state, Powell called the practice of passing maximum annual tax levies “unsustainable.”

Lubin said the board must set the levy as high as legally possible — even if it doesn’t intend to collect all that money — to ensure its ability to do so in the future, if needed.

As for the district’s savings, Lubin said the money isn’t being spent capriciously.

“It is available to be spent,” he said.

And yet, in a hat-tip to the opposition, Lubin acknowledged the board “can always do better” when it comes to reducing costs.

Weisberg said the board is financially prudent and watches the school’s expenses, despite what the challengers have said.

“This school board has shown restraint, and I applaud them for it,” he said. “No stone is being let unturned, and to say otherwise is being unfair.”