Voters back District 214 tax hike, in first referendum in 55 years
Voters in the Northwest suburbs supported a property tax increase to fund school renovations in the state’s second-largest high school district, preliminary results Tuesday night showed.
In what was the first referendum in Arlington Heights-based Northwest Suburban High School District 214 in 55 years, 61% of voters favored a request to borrow $295 million, while 39% were opposed, according to the unofficial totals.
The ballot question came four years after a facilities assessment identified some $850 million in potential upgrades across the district’s seven campuses, where buildings are between 53 and nearly 70 years old.
But district administrators arrived at the $295 million price tag once most school board members said they wouldn’t support any request above $300 million, citing a growing affordability crisis for taxpayers.
Issuing the school building bonds over a 25-year term would yield a yearly tax increase of $218 for the owner of a home valued at $500,000, officials estimate.
In the lead-up to the vote, critics wondered how building maintenance needs — and associated costs in the millions of dollars — have added up over the years. Some even came to school board meetings to accuse district leaders of fiscal mismanagement.
But Superintendent Scott Rowe said the district spent nearly $200 million on fixes over the last decade, from roof replacements to heating and cooling system upgrades. At the same time, $2 million worth of unplanned emergency repairs have been done in each of the last three years.
Proposed upgrades would cover 13 project areas: door hardware and card access; fire alarm systems; elevators; stadium and gym bleachers safety; roofs; windows; pavement; HVAC; boilers; plumbing; electrical; science lab; and theater renovations.
The district planned to issue the first set of bonds sometime in 2027, with first projects scheduled to break ground in the winter of 2027 or later in 2028, Rowe said. The work is expected to take three to four years to complete.
cplacek@dailyherald.com