Decisions ahead on school closure, referendum

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CARY – The District 26 school board could make two major decisions this month after receiving input from a key committee this week.

The three-member Finance Committee is expected to make recommendations on the district’s two most controversial matters: closing a school and asking taxpayers for more money via a referendum on the Feb. 2, 2010, primary election ballot. The committee is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Monday at Cary Junior High, 2109 Crystal Lake Road.

“My goal is to come to a consensus on both,” Finance Committee Chairman Chris Jenner said.

In previous meetings, the committee postponed both decisions. However, even if the committee cannot reach a consensus, the issues could be put before the entire board for a vote, Jenner said.

In October, Superintendent Brian Coleman recommended that Maplewood School be shuttered as part of a bid to reduce expenses. The district has been operating in the red for several years and faces a deficit of at least $1.88 million at the end of the year. Enrollment also has dropped by more than 400 students since 2005. Finance Committee members asked Coleman to revisit several alternative plans for closing a school.

Coleman said Friday that he would return with another recommendation on the closure issue. He declined to say whether the recommendation had changed.

Last week, Coleman recommended a plan that would ask voters to approve a $0.70 education rate increase tempered by a $0.20 bond rate decrease. If approved by voters, the 2009 tax rate would increase from $2.6871 per $100 of equalized assessed value to $3.1871. That would mean that the owner of a $300,000 home who takes the homestead exemption would pay about $3,012 – or $473 more than the total tax bill of $2,539 to the district.

Finance Committee members put off a decision on the tax rate referendum plan, asking Coleman for information.

Unlike a bond rate increase, the education rate change would be permanent if approved by voters Feb. 2, 2010. Voters last approved an education rate increase in 1985.

Compared with elementary districts in the county, Cary’s total tax rate was in the middle of the pack, according to figures provided by T. Ferrier, the district’s director of finance and operations. For 2008, District 26’s total rate was $2.6650 per $100 of equalized assessed value. Also in the middle was Crystal Lake District 47 with a total rate of $2.6744 per $100 of equalized assessed value. Fox River Grove had the highest total rate in the county with $3.7939 per $100 of equalized value. Marengo District 165 had the lowest with $1.8913 per $100 of equalized value.

Some district taxpayers aren’t pleased by the possibility of a rate increase.

“I have never been satisfied with the fiscal responsibility of the district,” said Nicholas Aiello, who has lived in Cary for 10 years. “I believe that the school board should manage with the amount of money they currently receive and not seek an increase from Cary residents.”

Resident Ken Sweinberg said he supported Cary’s educational mission but took issue with retirement benefits paid by the district. Sweinberg, who recently shelled out $16,000 in property taxes, said he wouldn’t vote for a referendum that would make his bill go up next year.

“I admire the quality of our education system, but the overall cost and resulting tax burden is unsustainable,” he said. “Until we see caps on pensions that are more in line with the average Social Security recipient, I won’t support any tax increases.”

In light of the most recent referendum failure, the economy, and taxpayer sentiment, several board members said they wouldn’t be counting on more tax dollars to solve the district’s financial woes.

“There needs to be a Plan B,” Jenner said.

That backup plan could entail cutting expenses by about $5 million, Coleman said. He plans to present a rough draft of potential cuts to the Finance Committee on Monday.

The next regular board meeting is Nov. 16.

Finance Committee Meeting

When: 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9.

Where: Cary Junior High, 2109 Crystal Lake Road.

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