Grayslake School Board Returns Money to Taxpayers

UPDATE: Also read the Daily Herald article today.

The Grayslake Elementary Distrct 46 School Board voted 4-3 tonight to return nearly six million, nine hundred thousand dollars to the taxpayers. Voting to return the amount that was in excess of what the voters approved in 1999 were Jill Rohrer, Kristen Coe-Peek, Sue Facklam and Mike Linder. Voting to keep the money against what the taxpayers approved were Mary Garcia, Karen Weinert and Mark Hannon.

To recap the year and a half long battle, in February 2006, the Daily Herald broke the news that District 46 had exceeded their debt limit by the use of Premium Bonds. Looking into this further by both myself and the school board it was discovered that the issuance of bonds from the 1999 bond authority exceeded the amount approved by voters by approximately $6.9 million dollars. Fast forwarding to October, 2006, the school board voted to abate the $6.9 million dollars over a two year period. In January of 2007, the board reversed course and voted to keep the money instead. For a detailed background on this story, you can review the links at the bottom of this article.

Tonight, was a good victory for the taxpayers, albeit a small one. Four school board members stood up for what was ethical instead of bowing to pressure from the education bureaucracy and continuing to use a legal loophole to keep unapproved taxpayer money.

Taxpayers will see their taxes lowered $12-$26 per year on a $200,000 home starting in 2008 and continuing until 2023. In 2024, they will receive just over $300 in savings. I will post the actual estimates once I receive the board packets. Even though the savings per year are small, a valuable principal was upheld and a school board listened to the taxpayers for once.

I would like to thank these four school board members for choosing ethics over money. I would also like to send a thanks to all of the taxpayers who emailed and called the school board members over this past year and a half to express your wishes that the board make the ethical choice.

I was able to recored the meeting tonight as well. I have not checked the quality of the recordings, except for the first 30 seconds or so. You may listen to them here (26 MB – 43 mins) and here (56MB – 1 hr 17 mins).

Detailed backgound:

• Bonds: Another School Money Scheme
• Grayslake 46 and 127 Over Debt Limit
• CCSD #46 BOE Meeting Notes 3/20/2006 – includes bond discussion
• Grayslake Taxpayers, Do You Want a Tax Break
• William Blair Bond Presentation
• How Much Did Your Taxes Go Up?
• Would You Like To Save Money On Your Property Taxes?
• CCSD #46 School Board Notes: 09/18/2006
• Grayslake School Board Chooses Ethics Over Money
• D46 School Board Chooses Money Instead of Ethics
• Daily Herald: Board Rejects Earlier Pledge
• Grayslake school district board votes against tax relief