Put reins on Lisle school taxes

The editorial, "Don't misuse 'adequacy' in setting school funding levels," posted on Sept. 20 states that "the referendum would be counterproductive," suggesting a degree of certainty about inner workings of the Lisle 202 school board and the educational progress of Lisle students in general.

As a former board member, I share with you a bit of firsthand knowledge of the inner workings of the Lisle school board. On more than one occasion, I demurred for the then-prevailing consensus view of requesting the maximum tax levy the school board could demand despite having more than "adequate" funds to keep the school district running at optimum levels. On more than one occasion, I questioned the need to have millions in excess of what was being spent when the demographics of the district showed a declining enrollment.

Even worse, as the only person on the school board at the time who had ever taught in a classroom, I struggled to understand why our Lisle students' reading and math levels were consistently below those of neighboring school districts?

Perhaps even more important, District 202 administration's own calculations showed that the district could absorb a 10 percent tax levy referendum and still maintain fund balance within the 90-180 day fund balance reserve level set by board policy.

Transparency and accountability are more likely to be attained when taxpayers gain firsthand knowledge and the Daily Herald uses its public-square power to shine light on authority. As you noted, "We've always been in favor of democracy and empowering the electorate," … then I plead with you to support the referendum which simply puts the question on the ballot. Democracy will then have the opportunity to work, where every individual, in the privacy of the voting booth can make up her or his mind.

Darryl Franklin

Lisle