By: Nick Binotti
Like other Illinois school districts this month, Glenbard Township High School District 87, enrollment 7,700, is asking voters to approve a bond issue to fund improvements to its schools.
And like other districts, the vast majority of the political contributions in favor of the $183 million project come from the parties that stand to financially benefit. Also, as usual, other than a small Facebook group and web page, the opposition is not nearly as organized or well-funded.
It’s yet another example of the local machinery that exists to get tax hikes passed in school districts across the state. Where a cottage industry of district administrators, teacher unions, architectural firms, construction firms and financial advisors work together to pass debt and/or tax referendums.
Glenbard D87’s pro-referendum side has managed to raise around $55,000 in financial support for yard signs, phone banking and other get out the vote efforts. From architecture and construction firms to security and bus services companies to food and janitorial service providers, the referendum has support from a variety of players. Many of these firms will not only benefit from the referendum, but also have current financial relationships with the school district.
In contrast, there’s no formal ballot initiative in opposition to the referendum.
Glenbard is following the same playbook Wirepoints sees playing out again and again in other school districts. Notably:
- The pro-referendum side has a head start and is far more organized, typically with the formation of a ballot committee.
- The pro-referendum side also has far more financial resources, often coming directly from firms that benefit.
- The referendums usually occur during local or primary elections – which have tiny voter turnout – giving special interest voters far more sway.
We’re not passing judgment on the facility needs of Glenbard HSD 87 or of school district referendums in general. We’re merely pointing to another use of the local playbook.
It’s easy for local organizations, whether unions or local businesses, to be in favor of spending because it benefits them personally. Those opposed don’t have that same united purpose besides the fact that residents will be stuck with higher tax burdens.
That said, over 40 percent of school district referendums fail. Residents on the “no” side, have a fighting chance, even if they don’t have the same resources with which to fight.
Read more from Wirepoints:
- How Illinois’ political machine gets billions in school bond referendums passed
- Government Splurging On Electric School Buses Even As Reports Of Their Problems Soar
- Gov. Pritzker continues to spread his political wealth across the country
- Property tax bills come due: Cook County residents will repeat last year’s sticker shock
Audio and summary 
If this bill passes, say goodbye to local control over all Illinois parks and expect to see open drug and alcohol use, needles, no sanitation and fire hazards, but no ordinary park users.
You people have no clue. District 87 needs significant safety improvements, including stronger building security. FOUR safety threats since May 2023. Of course, almost every individual with a “Vote No” sign also has a trump sign or flag up. Not surprising, they don’t give a crap about preventing school shootings.
And now the vendor providing Drivers Ed vehicles in Glenbard has contributed $2,000 to the pro-referendum side.
Same as it ever was.
A few years ago, I read a story about an Illinois school district that gave its parent contact phone and e-mail list to the pro-bond campaign.
Nothing, however, compares to California, where the school districts can put the arguments in favor of the bond right on the ballot. Of course, it violates both the US (First Amendment [compelled speech] and Fourteenth Amendment [equal protection]) and California constitutions, but hey, it’s for the kids.
Of course, the kids will be paying for it, when they purchase or rent their own place.
This is happening in full force in District 301 with its $195 million new high school referendum. Same playbook of “only $X per year more” due to extending existing debt when the true gross increase is around $1000 a year for the average home in the district. Not only is the yes vote committee drastically better funded, but groups of young parents organize to attack any opposition on social media and shame anyone who isn’t in support. The “yes” groups intentionally focus their efforts on newer subdivisions with younger families who are more susceptible to peer pressure and “keeping up… Read more »
The “yes” group will be entirely neutralized by owner-operated networks on the Fediverse. The Fediverse is an emerging civic institution, with the potential to reach the scale and functionality of the Public Library System. Most people are only familiar with the Forums like Mastodon but in fact the federation and other peer-to-peer protocols extend to all data and media types. Most of the already widely used technologies are also severely under-developed, but only because there is not yet a demand for them. Individuals such as yourself are really wasting time on massively populous global forums, and its not only because… Read more »
A tactic used by some of our downstate districts is when a prior bond issue tax is expiring. The Districts create an advertising campaign based upon a slogan “Your taxes wont increase” which of course they do because the scheduled reduction doesn’t occur. I am so often amazed though by the ability of the campaign to get people energized to vote for something that “won’t increase your taxes” when they forget apparently that nothing is free in this world.
Yes, that is a common tactic as well. Expiring bonds rarely expire. They are often replaced with new bonds, either the same amount at a lower rate or a smaller bond at a higher rate, so that the district can advertise a “savings”. Look up the annual financial reports for any one of you local governing bodies and they’ll undoubtedly forecast the expiration of those bonds (look how much we’ll save starting in 2027!) but never forecast replacement bonds. That’s why I caution against new bonds because you are probably condemning the next generation of families to that spending even… Read more »
Here’s an interesting article on Houston school districts.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/library-cuts-teachers-quitting-texas-110004696.html
Or they could do what my school districts do (the largest in the state) and way overfund their reserve accounts. State Audits have proven this for over 15 years now. The districts have just completed a 10-year spending spree upgrading, increasing space, and adding amenities to all 5 High Schools and most elementary schools. I’m not saying some of this spending is warranted, it is, but they never come to the voters/taxpayers asking for capital spending referendums now. Not one dollar of these funds ever reaches the students directly and there has never been a mention of returning these funds… Read more »
Be careful what you wish for, because you might actually get it. My district put the referendum to vote and oh boy did they vote! 55% to 45% they voted for a nearly $300,000,000 bond issue after including interest. MOMS! FOR SCHOOLS was the slate of MOMS! that controlled the board at the time too.
NiteCat, good for you if your district is doing that and you caught it. Overfunding reserve accounts is the oldest trick in the book but it’s rarely caught.
Sorry but is over funding the same as cash reserves? Many school districts and government taxing bodies have way too much excess taxpayer money. I had read some districts have 2 years of reserves. Could you clarify? Thank!
New law attempts to force schools’ ‘spending down’ excess (2.5×expenses) fund reserves.
Because, tax objection lawsuits win above that ratio of reserves-to-expenses.
https://ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=103-0394
I posted this a while back and it seems appropriate to post again. Timing of any specific referendum can make or break whatever they want. Early spring referendums have the lowest turnouts but usually have the highest turnout from those who want something. It seems to be a test in how much they could get so the $$$ cost is much higher than needed. If it fails then the price is lowered (and still more than they needed in the first place) and then they will try again the following spring or in the general election in Nov which has… Read more »
The issue is they Overbuild and provide expensive amenities that are not needed. They could do basic upkeep of the buildings for a fraction of the cost – but then there would be no pockets lined and pay to play enriching many of these players. Get the word out that most of what is proposed is frivolous and does nothing to improve the academics of the students – not to mention draining the pockets of the taxpayers more and more.
In Oak Park, despite a non-binding referendum that called for capital expenditures of $5 million or more, which passed with 77% of the vote, we have since had two Oak Park taxing bodies ignore those wishes. OPRFHS D200 board unanimously approved a $102 million (estimated, not including interest and overruns) pool driven project despite four board members on record as supporting referendum. In doing so they lied about the project and ignored its own community finance committees recommendation for referendum and funding plan. The Park District of Oak Park used a years old amateurish phone survey of about 620 in… Read more »
And so it goes in Toiletnois. There is also a healthy industry, with ties to Foxx associates on how to sue for wrongful arrest. There are banks of ambulance chasers lined up outside the jail when a high profile suspect is released to await trial , along with the local media that don’t want to miss the latest chance to push the “ bad/ racist/ white cop vs. innocent victims”( that everyone else refers to as a criminal) narrative. Want a property tax reduction? Hire a friend connected to those who levied it in the first place to fight it.… Read more »
Friends & Family First should be the motto on our license plates instead of Land of Lincoln.
Nick, I really like the contrasting approach you’ve taken and look forward to more Wirepoints articles employing the same formula. Telling both sides of the story is honest, equitable, and balanced. Telling the story from both perspectives allows readers to evaluate the facts and make democratic decisions based on the merits. Thanks!
How about the School Districts work to provide some real, measurable results, improvements in reading and math skills, but, determined by an outside non-education based evaluator before they get to tax us more. The reality is too that these districts have no plan to fund “improvements” to their buildings…they simply spend it all. Then when a building is crippled or needs significant “improvement” they go for a “forever” referendum…and spend it all again. Nice that we get to see information about these referendums here on wire points. These “referendums” are typically not well publicized as the District doesn’t really want… Read more »