Pool of dubious benefit to residents
Pool of dubious benefit to residents
As Lake Park District 108 voters head to the polls, keep the following facts in mind when deciding how to vote on the two pool referendums:
The estimated pool cost over the 10-year bond term is $15,800,000.
A $200,000 and $300,000 homeowner in District 108 pays approximately $4,500 and $6,900 respectively in taxes each year. Of those amounts, $1,400 and $2,200 is for LPHS.
The two pool referendum questions are for additional taxes.
The additional tax increase associated with the pool construction for the owner of a $200,000 or $300,000 home of $11.60 and $17.40 are based on interest only for the first several years of the bond term. The impact is significantly larger for the latter years of the bond term.
District 108 resident dedicated time (nonschool, non-park district, non-community group) is less than 5 percent of the pool hours.
Roselle, Bloomingdale and Itasca Park Districts currently offer swimming lessons at their existing pools.
LPHS offers more than 40 different student activities and clubs. LPHS offers cross country, golf, swimming/diving, tennis, volleyball, basketball, football, wrestling, baseball, bowling, gymnastics, track and field, badminton, soccer, softball, cheerleading and pom/dance.
The 2013 swim team transportation and facility rental was less than $50,000/year. The estimated operational costs for the proposed pool are $390,000/year.
Most DuPage Valley Conference schools do not have pools, most rent existing facilities.
Lake Park High School is a top-notch educational facility. Students are able to get an excellent education and participate in many extracurricular activities. District 108 taxpayers have supported needed capital projects in the past. These same taxpayers have repeatedly voted against a pool at Lake Park, seeing it as an unnecessary cost and of questionable benefit to the community.
Phil Van Duyne
Roselle