If Harper loses, it'll try again in spring

If you haven't already checked out the Nov. 4 voting ballot, you may not know that Harper College is asking for $153,600,000 on a bond issue vote near the bottom of the ballot.

Harper College has already sent three advertising cards to our house telling us to vote yes, because this $153.6 million is a "no tax rate increase" bond proposal. The key word here is rate increase. I assume we will just continue to be bled at the current rate we are being gouged at for the last exorbitant Harper bond issue.

The bottom line is that the issue would not be on the ballot unless they needed our permission to continue charging us excessive tax rates for Harper College. Hopefully, if and when this bond issue for Harper is defeated on Nov. 4, 2008 I warn you voters about Harper's usual backup plan.

Normally Harper tries to float the "mother of all bond issues" on a federal election day (which happens every two years).

Then, if that one fails, they will lower the bond amount from say $153,600,000 to maybe $126,900,000 and put it on the ballot of an off-year spring election for local mayors, dog catchers and such; while at the same time energizing all their faculty, students, parents of students, businesses supported by the college, workers at the college, etc. to be sure to vote in this normally very low turnout election.

It will then pass; because most people stay home for these off-year elections.

Stay alert and always vote.

James Peterson

Hoffman Estates