Endorsements: Scharringhausen, Klimkowicz, Yung in Dist. 211

Numbers tell the story in Palatine-Schaumburg Township High School District 211: An 8 percent budget increase this year, to $272.6 million. A 3 percent increase in the tax levy. Forty-two percent of retired District 211 educators getting pensions over $100,000 a year. The times we’re in call for belt-tightening, but the District 211 board seems unwilling to commit to that. Though the board touts cuts of $11.5 million in several waves starting in 2005, it upped this year’s budget by more than $20 million over last year. Against that backdrop, three board members will be chosen in the April 9 election. Incumbent Robert LeFevre, on the board since 2005 and president since 2007, seems in particular to be unwilling to spare any cost in educating District 211’s students. Anna Klimkowicz, a board member since 1997, often mentions financial challenges faced by those she encounters in her work as a counselor, but rarely splits from the board majority on fiscal issues. Nor does Edward Yung, a board member since 2009. They face challengers Mike Scharringhausen of Schaumburg, a volunteer on Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54 committees and PTA who lists fiscal responsibility as a goal, and Roman Golash of Palatine, a microbiologist and retired Army colonel who speaks urgently about cutting costs but whose views on education can be narrow. We endorse Scharringhausen, Klimkowicz and Yung, but with the hope that they make financial restraint much more of a focus for District 211.