District 203 incumbents, challengers divided on $10 million tax rebate

The three incumbents seeking reelection to the Naperville Unit District 203 school board say they're proud of their decision to reimburse taxpayers a total of $10 million in unanticipated surplus funds.

But in recent Daily Herald endorsement interviews, all six of their challengers questioned whether the money could have been better spent on other priorities amid the COVID-19 pandemic, such as expanding in-person opportunities or addressing learning gaps.

Board President Kristin Fitzgerald, Vice President Donna Wandke and board member Charles Cush are vying to retain three of the four open seats. Running against them in the April 6 election are Amanda McMillen, Christi Helm, Thomas Andrew Binkowski, Robert Reed, Adam Russo and Bill Eagan.

Each of the newcomers expressed concerns regarding the district's communication, timeline and implementation of its "Return to Learn" plan. After months of enhanced e-learning, a hybrid schedule was rolled out last month for students who chose to return to the classroom. An online-only option also remains available.

Eagan, an accountant, called the district's handling of the situation a "failure," saying sitting board members should have pushed to get in-person learners back in school sooner. The $10 million being rebated to taxpayers, he said, could have gone a long way in providing protective equipment for teachers or offering programming to help struggling students.

As a social worker and entrepreneur, Russo said he would not have voted to return the money without a "full understanding" of students' mental health needs and achievement gaps. "The kids are our stakeholders," he said.

The incumbents defended their response to the coronavirus crisis, saying the board and administration prioritized safety and monitored local health metrics closely.

Elected officials also have a long-standing goal of financial stewardship, Wandke said, prompting them to take advantage of a unique opportunity to provide property owners with some relief.

"We returned what was rightfully the taxpayers' back to them," she said.

A roughly $14 million budget surplus was realized at the end of the 2019-20 academic year, stemming from two months of mandatory school closures, officials said.

District leaders looked "comprehensively" at how to spend the money, Fitzgerald said, with some being allotted toward a COVID-19 saliva surveillance program and potential programming to help recover from the pandemic.

After what has been a challenging year, she said, they also agreed to send a portion back to taxpayers.

Initial estimates suggested the owner of a $400,000 home could be rebated between $275 and $300. Helm, who has a background in sociology and education, acknowledged the extra funds could be helpful to some struggling families.

"That being said, I really wish the money would've been used toward our kids," she said.

Before taking a vote, school board members asked several questions to ensure the district would have enough funds to adequately accomplish its goals and meet students' needs, Cush said. Any amount above what is needed should be returned to the community, he said.

Other candidates felt the district should have gotten creative. Reed, a chief operations officer at a bank, said he would have used the money to audit the district's policies or conduct an assessment of school infrastructure, which could have helped get kids back in the classrooms sooner.

McMillen, a social worker, said the funds could have gone toward temporary classrooms, air purifiers or other methods for creating more space. Also beneficial would be an investment in additional aides, social-emotional services and resources to better engage students in remote and hybrid learning, she said.

An educator and scientist, Binkowski said he supports all initiatives to be financially responsible. But the funds had already been collected to ensure District 203 is providing the "best educational experience for our students," he said, even during unprecedented times.

"I bet pretty much everybody could think of something that could've gone better this year," he said. "Maybe additional resources could've helped."