Daily Herald opinion: Clarifying ethics: Complaint questions if it is appropriate for public bodies to query voters on referendums
When Northwest Suburban High School District 214 officials hired a consulting firm to quiz district taxpayers about a potential tax increase, they were – depending on who you talk to – either looking for legitimate public input to guide their planning; or violating ethics rules that prevent a public body from spending taxpayer funds to help ensure the success of an upcoming referendum.
It’s an interesting question, one that taxpayers and school boards alike would benefit from having adjudicated. A complaint filed Monday against District 214 has jumpstarted that process, and we expect it will eventually provide some clarity, first from the district’s ethicist and potentially from state and county legal authorities.
Until that day, however, it’s worth looking at the facts. District 214 officials say they haven’t asked for a tax increase in more than 50 years. An analysis of district facilities, started in 2022, ultimately concluded it would take up to $912 million to make the recommended renovations, classroom modernizations, alarm system repairs, electrical work, athletic upgrades and much more.
In 2025, District 214 contracted with EO Sullivan Consulting to ask residents whether they would support up to $900 million in improvements. They got the answer they expected, and a second poll, done by phone May 6-13, cut the funding target in half: 605 respondents were given proposed tax increases ranging from $300 million to $458 million, and were told what each option would buy. A fourth option, no tax increase at all, got the most votes at 32%. The $300 million total got 25% of responses; $450 million got 22%; and $375 million got 15%. Six percent had no opinion.
In stepped Americans For Prosperity and its Illinois deputy director Brian Costin, to complain that by hiring EO Sullivan, District 214 was spending taxpayer money to determine how to narrow the tax increase proposal to best assure a successful outcome. Illinois law prohibits public funds from being used to persuade voters to support a tax proposition, or for general political purposes.“Illinois taxpayers deserve transparency, accountability, and fair elections,” Costin argued in a statement.
Yes, they do. Costin is a hardline anti-tax activist. By bringing this up now, he may well be trying to stymie District 214 from approving a tax increase initiative for an upcoming ballot, something that is almost assured of happening. Is it his and AFP’s right to do that? Absolutely. It’s also their right to raise questions about the ethics and legalities of District 214’s methodology.
But don’t school districts also deserve the best possible information about how their parents and taxpayers are currently thinking? After all, every community has a price point, and every school district must know what its community – in the here and now – believes it can afford and not afford. If it doesn’t know that, school leaders will squander a lot of time, effort and good will, sometimes running multiple referendums over multiple years until they finally hit the sweet spot. EO Sullivan has done many of these surveys for multiple school districts, which indicates they consider it valuable information.
Despite the current focus on finances, as District 214 officials and board approach what could be a historic ballot initiative we hope this ethical sidetrack allows the community to focus equally hard on what any proposed tax money would buy. Whether taxpayers ultimately vote a proposal up or down, they deserve to make a decision on their own and with their eyes open.