Endorsements: Helderle, Kiener-Barnett, Nadeau. Ahlmann for District 202 school board.

Voters in Lisle Unit District 202 have two big questions on their April 2 ballot.

Voters will fill four seats on the school board, and separately, they'll decide whether the district should lower its tax levy by $1.2 million.

Incumbents Daniel Helderle, Lisa Kiener-Barnett, Wendy Nadeau and Pam Ahlmann are against the referendum. Helderle, Kiener-Barnett and Nadeau are running for four-year terms on the board. Ahlmann is running for a two-year seat.

Challengers Susan Cassa, Elizabeth Kennedy and James Strnad back the referendum. Kennedy and Strnad are running for four-year seats. Cassa is running for the two-year seat.

The referendum is possible because of a state law passed in 2017 that created evidence-based funding formulas for schools. The law was passed to address flaws in Illinois' school funding formula. It is meant to help lower-income schools reach higher quality educational goals, not encourage districts with stronger local resources to accept lower standards.

While we're sympathetic to Strnad, Cassa and Kennedy's concerns about property tax levels, assuring the high quality of education the community has come to expect requires a school board that respects taxpayers while carefully managing a blend of state and local resources. Helderle, Kiener-Barnett, Nadeau and Ahlmann have the clearest vision for doing that in District 202, and they are endorsed.