Look closely at value of Dist. 203 lawsuit

As mayor of Warrenville, a city with no debt, I believe in spending taxpayers’ money responsibly. Therefore, I must ask Naperville Unit District 203 taxpayers if the school board is using your money responsibly by pursuing a lawsuit against Warrenville — a lawsuit that as of midsummer has cost your district more than $718,000. Nearly 38 percent of this — $270,000 — has been paid out in the past eight months alone.

After all this time and expense, the case remains mired in discovery, and the court has yet to address the merits of the case! If these lawyers have taken more than eight years to churn through nearly three-quarters of a million dollars of taxpayers’ money, and have yet to complete discovery, imagine the total they can rack up in an actual trial. Just an idea, but perhaps this money could be better spent furthering the vital mission of District 203 — educating children.

If the district’s attorneys get their way, millions of new city tax dollars would have to be allocated to the TIF fund to replace the money that has already been spent legally on TIF projects. By law, these funds would first go to pay outstanding amounts on TIF developer notes held by a private oil corporation. Only after that debt was paid in full could any remaining money legally be divided among more than a dozen overlapping taxing districts. However, the money due on these notes far exceeds any possible court award. Thus, your school district is pursuing a lawsuit that can only benefit a private corporation.

Each year going forward, Warrenville’s Cantera Development contributes in excess of $3 million — with no associated expenses — to help educate District 203 children. We are proud of Cantera and pleased that it continues to benefit Warrenville and Naperville District 203.

Mayor David L. Brummel

Warrenville