Incumbents, newcomer win in District 95
Three incumbents and two newcomers will join the Lake Zurich Unit District 95 school board in facing sprawling recommended budget cuts.
Incumbents Kathy Brown, Mike Finn and John Kropf and newcomer Kathleen Wallis four-year terms. Jim Burke won a two-year unexpired seat. The results mean incumbent Jan Putbress leaves the board after 12 years.
With ballots in all 27 precincts counted, unofficial results showed Brown led with 3,814 votes, followed by Finn with 3,592, Wallis with 3,247 and Kropf with 3,199 votes. Putbress had 2,885 votes.
Burke had 2,790 votes to best Joel Honegger with 1,808 votes for the two-year term.
"We need to balance our budget without negatively affecting the educational opportunities we are providing our kids," Wallis said.
The board faces $4 million in recommended budget cuts. The district anticipates less revenue due to a drop in the consumer price index, which affects the district's property tax levy.
The board has encouraged community fundraising efforts to save athletic and fine arts programs scheduled to be cut next year. A tentative budget will be approved in June and the final budget will follow in September.
Board member Jim Hussey did not seek re-election.