Dist. 203 budget not the work of MBAs

Not that it will matter to the 80 percent of Naperville taxpayers who are too apathetic to pay attention to a government body that represents 80 percent of their property taxes, but District 203’s latest budget propaganda deserves a refresher course in Naperville history.

In a recent Daily Herald article, District 203 proudly proclaims “it is again anticipating being able to balance its budget for the upcoming school year without cutting programs.” Union-endorsed board members are no doubt patting themselves on the back for their self-proclaimed fiscal prowess. Actually, it was 203’s fiscal irresponsibility and a tax referendum a decade ago that can be credited with today’s budget situation.

Back in 1999, the District 203 school board approved a teachers’ contract it knew it could not afford. In response to the deficit it willfully created, District 203 turned around and threatened the community with significant cuts in student programs if a 2002 tax referendum wasn’t passed. Placing parents between a rock and a hard place, the extortion tactic worked, and the referendum passed.

Three years later, the Daily Herald exposed a loophole in the 2002 tax referendum language that resulted in millions more in taxes being collected than voters were led to believe. In light of this embarrassing revelation, the school board elected not to implement the fifth and final year of the tax referendum, but voted not to return the already over-collected millions to taxpayers. To wit, District 203’s ability to balance its budget is not the result of a board comprised of Northwestern MBA’s.

Mike Davitt

Naperville