Group asks Geneva school board for budget cuts

The Geneva School District 304 board and administrators were politely taken to the woodshed Monday night over this year's proposed school budget.

Members of For Accountable and Controlled Tax Spending spent an hour begging the board to consider cutting the budget, rather than raising it. Several complained about increase after increase in their property tax bills.

Bill Kelly, who owns residential rental properties in Geneva, said he tells tenants who complain about rent increases they should vote "no" on any requests from the school and park districts for money or to build anything.

"Are these hard times being shared by the employees of the district?" asked Rich Hayhurst, rhetorically, noting that teachers get tenure, 9.4 percent in pay raises over the next three years and state retirement system benefits. "I can see so many areas of overspending on your budget, I don't know where to start."

Bob McQuillan, FACTS founder and a Republican candidate for the 50th House District seat, was one of several who called on the board to establish an ad hoc citizens committee to review the proposed budget line by line, with an eye toward making cuts.

Board member Timothy Moran, who was just re-elected this spring, previously has suggested having an advisory finance committee.

Fred Cregier, an 81-year-old retiree, told the board he was amazed by the number of support personnel employed compared to the teaching staff. He said he counted 500 nonteaching jobs - not counting "coordinators" and "facilitators."

"Don't tell me that it (cutting the budget) can't be done," he said.

The district is opening a new elementary school this fall, with an expected enrollment of about 350 students. It will employ 20 teachers, including school psychologists and special-topics teachers. McQuillan said that overall, the district's enrollment is projected to grow by two students this fall.

McQuillan said he does not advocate cutting teachers' salaries. But he argued recent pay raises for 13 administrators instead could have been used to pay for six teachers.

And even as he criticized some credit card expenditures, and the proposed cost of adding on to Geneva High School, he also praised the board.

"I trust and I know that each one of you will do the right thing," he said, a comment echoed by several others.

The school board did not act on any of the suggestions, and members did not respond to any of the comments.