Geneva group plans meeting on school finances

A group that often has questioned how the Geneva school board does business will have a forum Monday night to discuss the district's spending.

Geneva TaxFACTS will meet from 6:45 to 9 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Geneva's east campus, 2300 South St.

All residents are welcome.

According to a statement announcing the forum, the group will give an overview of the district's finances and how it thinks property taxes will be affected in the next 10 years. Attendees will be asked to share opinions, ask questions and suggest solutions.

“There is serious concern among many in the community of how long they will be able to continue to afford to live in Geneva. The combination of increased property taxes, lower home values and future debt repayment has created a financial burden on many families,” said Bob McQuillan, a former school board candidate who co-founded the group in 2008.

The district has had at least one community meeting about its finances, and recently had a forum where people were encouraged to spell out their priorities for the district.

Relations between Geneva TaxFACTS and the school board have gotten testy at times.

Most recently, TaxFACTS criticized the board over a difference in enrollment projections made back when the district wanted voters to approve an $80 million building plan in 2007. The numbers used in campaign materials were higher than those provided by a consultant in 2006.

It is also critical of the district's bus buyback program, the purchase of 27 acres on Brundige Road, the building of an additional elementary school, and the issuance of non-callable capital appreciation bonds, at interest rates as high as 9 percent.

“There is no question that every resident supports a quality education but at some point the community has to question, at what cost?” McQuillan said.

The group looks at the operations of all Geneva taxing bodies.

It posts videos of school board meetings on its website, genevataxfacts.org.