Raises for U-46 leaders a mistake

It always amazes me what so called "educated" people see as a priority. In this case the priority is the selfish reward in the way of a raise, during troubling times, for administrators in U-46.

Here are a few facts that those who got those 6-percent raises should have taken into consideration. There are 511 homes in foreclosure in Kane County. Of those 511 homes, 169 are in Elgin; 22 in South Elgin. A total of 191 - some 37 percent.

On top of that there are 1,192 properties in the city of Elgin, including those 191 homes, that are in some stage of foreclosure. These properties are everything from businesses to empty lots.

With that, we have 1,192 properties that are no longer on the tax rolls. Those properties that filed for foreclosure, either through legal action or the banks, mean that those struggling to keep their home now have to pick up the tab for the people who gave themselves a raise.

Do the math. The average home in Elgin pays an estimated $3,500 in school taxes - 191 times $3,500 equals $668,500. That is just for the homes in foreclosure. The raises to U-46 administrators amounts to $263,000. Take the amount of dollars lost through those homes in foreclosure - $668,500 minus the increase in raises $263,000 - and you are still $405,500 in the red. Take the other 1,000 properties in foreclosure and we are talking millions of dollars that is no longer available for education and infrastructure.

Even if the property tax number is on the high side, fill in your own number.

Any way you slice it, the administrators do not deserve a raise. How can you reward a system that is a total failure? Only one school met state requirements. None of the high schools met the necessary requirements.

William Swearingen

Elgin