By: Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner
Kudos to Effingham voters for getting in front of a bad law that disenfranchises Illinois taxpayers. Signed in September 2024 by Gov. Pritzker, the new law makes it tougher for voters to stop their school districts from borrowing money. The law should be repealed.
Illinois school districts already burden taxpayers with a whopping $23.4 billion in school district debt, equivalent to about $12,600 for every student in Illinois. It’s another reason why Illinois property taxes are the highest in the country.
Now this new law, which removes an automatic referendum requirement for building projects that increase Pre-K or kindergarten classroom space, is sure to balloon school district debt and property taxes statewide. That’s particularly true given Gov. Pritzker’s 2023 mandate for all-day kindergarten statewide by 2027-2028.
The good news in Effingham is that residents were alert enough to get the signatures needed to force a referendum on the $57 million their school district wants to borrow. The bad news is that taxpayers in other districts may not be so vigilant or sufficiently organized.
We were made aware of the potential property tax hikes in Effingham when some residents realized their school district, Effingham CUSD 40, was about to get away with borrowing $57 million, largely to build a new K-2 school, without asking voters first.
Only eight months earlier, the school district had lost a voter referendum on a 1% sales tax hike to fund a similar project. That failed referendum marked the 4th time since 2014 that voters had rejected CUSD 40’s borrowing attempts.
But Effingham’s school district officials are back at it again and this time it’s different because Pritzker’s new law says they no longer have to go through a voter referendum for projects that increase Pre-K or kindergarten classroom space – unless citizens can collect enough petition signatures to force one.
Lawmakers haven’t made that process easy for voters. Not only is the required number of signatures higher than what’s needed to win a seat on the school board, but residents have only 30 days to collect them from the moment a borrowing is announced.
The biggest vote getter on the current Effingham school board was Jill Wendling. She got 1,072 votes. But to force a referendum on the whopping $57 million borrowing, Effingham residents have to go out and collect about 1,500 signatures. That’s absurd.
Nevertheless, Effingham organizers have outperformed over the last 30 days. They’ve collected nearly 3,000 signatures for each of the district’s two proposed bond offerings – one for $38 million and another for $19 million.
Barring any problems or challenges with the petitions, Effingham residents will have successfully regained their right to vote on the district’s proposal.
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If all the above isn’t hard enough for Effingham voters, they also have to take on a cottage industry of district administrators, teacher unions, architectural firms, construction firms and financial advisors that all work together to pass referendums like the above.
Yes, some school referendums are necessary or even essential in some cases. But supporters of referendums have a well-oiled machine in place to organize everything ahead of time – from financing to the ground-game to messaging – so any opposition is handicapped before debate even starts.
We’ve written about it in the past – see How Illinois’ political machine gets billions in school bond referendums passed – but it’s important to bring it up again in the context of Effingham.
A look at Illinois State Board of Elections reports from the 2024 referendum (see graphic below) shows how those who benefit from new construction support more tax hikes. Holland Construction company, which works with the district, contributed $10,000 to the Citizens for Effingham County School Facility Sales Tax. Midwest Bus Sales Inc. also put in $2,500, surely hoping to benefit. Many other financial and banking firms have also contributed.
Look for the same groups to champion the new referendum in favor of more borrowing and higher property tax hikes.
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Illinois residents are increasingly being stripped of their rights. In this case, the right to vote. It’s a trend that has accelerated under Gov. Pritzker and his Democratic supermajorities, so much so that Illinoisans are now fully subservient to their public servants.
Effingham voters may succeed in getting their right to vote back, but they shouldn’t be forced to do that in the first place. These bad laws need to be unwound and the power returned back where it belongs: with the people.
Read more from Wirepoints:
- How Illinois’ political machine gets billions in school bond referendums passed
- Illinois metro areas take the top four spots for nation’s highest property taxes. Rockford takes the crown.
- One big reason your Illinois property taxes are so high. And why you should get a big refund.
- How to destroy a state: swap out the wealthy for illegal immigrants
Appendix.
Find your district by clicking through the small right arrow at the right, just below the title. To see the full data on the phone, pan left and right.
Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
The state’s existing buyout program for its own pensions is the precedent for Chicago, which should be a warning: Look out for similar exaggerated claims and shoddy analysis.
Taxation without any input from taxpayers.
This districts are wildly different size, headcount, square footage, demographics, etc
There must be a right size per[metric] what is it? How do these compare? What are the debit metrics at high preforming institutions?
Great article! Hungry for more thanks
Also, if you go to a lot of local gov meetings they will make note of that during important meetings to discredit, undermine, or diminish what you say because the average citizen attending so many meetings implies what exactly… Even though the board and admin staff go to a lot of meetings….
Does it make anyone else wonder what the agenda is with so much debt? You would think it would be far easier for superintendants to budget and save vs spend spend spend and new new new. I would think there would be far less stress on them. It seems to me there is some type of agenda that goes hand in hand in with the financial companies and the architects. Of course the latter 2 profit in huge amounts, but what about the super? Is there money under the table: new cars? hidden money? And if so why?? Just thoughts… Read more »
If there would be any graft it would be golf and fancy dinners and seminars in exotic places for the Superintendents, I suppose some could be crooked, but likely most are just schmoozed by Architects and construction folks. The Superintendents I have been around spend a great deal of time looking for the next job. Each time they change, their income grows and grows. Since their pension program follows them from district to district, it doesn’t matter where they spend their time till retirement. So, since the Superintendents are not around in any one district for very long, they really… Read more »
What a friggin racket. It just gets worse every time you look. Now they have removed control or even having a say in what the school district does. The people, no longer have a say in the direction of these self serving school districts. Every part of this is wrong.
You still decide the school board and as Effingham residents showed, you can fight this as well.
Yep you are right. The challenge is being aware of what they are planning. Our district doesn’t publicize anything, so it requires people to go to the meeting to know what is going on.
VVSD 365 U doesn’t publicize anything either.
Just went to their website. It took all of 15 seconds to find the board meeting dates as well as the YouTube channel where you can watch live or recorded meetings. They just had a meeting last week and it’s published for everyone to see.
Regular meetings can be viewed live or recorded on the VVSD YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj5Od93wOXnQTp3Nz29uCDw
Just because they don’t post it in a newspaper and have a newsboy shout “Extra! Extra! Read all about it!” doesn’t mean it’s not published.
So did they happen to mention anything about the 23 million dollars that’s missing from embezzlement.
Yes they did. They posted the following statement to their website when it was discovered. The District has been investigating employee misconduct regarding an alleged scheme involving Information Technology funds. As soon as the Administration became aware of the issue, an immediate internal investigation was launched that led the District to report the alleged misconduct to the Romeoville Police Department. There is an ongoing criminal investigation by law enforcement agencies against the individuals involved. Employment has been terminated. It was in the news and the district put it on their website. What information are you lacking? You have more power… Read more »
Thanks for enlightening me on something I already knew , wish you knew the whole story behind VVSD365U but then again you just might, making stuff up hardly.
You said the school district doesn’t publish anything. You were making that up as they clearly do publish information. They publish the upcoming dates of the board meetings as well as offer to let you watch them live or go back and watch them at your convenience. You then came back to me with… but but but but did you see this? I then pointed out they acknowledged that story as well. Showing you in another lie. What is the point of all your lying? Are you not able to follow this train of thought that YOU started? Do you… Read more »
More proof that the corrupt teachers unions, along with other unions completely rule our puppet politicians. Pritzker is their main puppet.
If this referendum for Effingham SD doesn’t pass they can always try again. Perhaps next time they can announce it during the winter months when it’s much more difficult to gather those signatures. During this time of year, you can attend the local town festivals or simply go door to door with volunteers. Much harder to get volunteers in the freezing cold. Maybe a school district could announce around December 15th when people are pre-occupied with the holidays and too busy to help out. If that doesn’t work they can always threaten to pull money from the high school athletic… Read more »
Translation: we are quite confident in the straitjacket the unions have constructed. There is no escape. Now it’s time for James to tell us relax and enjoy it.
Straightjacket??? lol
Those union members must be so much smarter than the average Illinois voter. I mean they represent less than 7% of the voting population in Illinois yet have managed to get their people elected. If only there was a way to combat these unions at the voting booth. Alas, we need to wait until the politicians just do the “right” thing.
A homeowner must maintain armed guard over his property 24/7. Otherwise, he should expect to be robbed. One can never blame the perpetrator. Always blame those who didn’t work hard enough to stop it.
Voting different than you isn’t illegal and it’s encouraged in our society. They are not perpetrators no matter how dramatic you get about it.
No, it’s not illegal. It’s a legalized form of digging your hand so deeply into your neighbor’s pocket that you can grab him by the b***s and he can never escape. You seem to be proud of your accomplishment.
It’s not my accomplishment. I’m not in a union nor do I represent them. You continue to struggle with this concept. You seem proud of your ignorance. Some people want more spending which means more money in taxes. Some want less spending and keeping more of one’s own money. I prefer to keep more of my own money and would prefer less spending. However, I realize in a society we don’t always get our way and we must do what the majority wants even if it means it costs me more money. So it’s not illegal and doesn’t come close… Read more »
Does it ever occur that people like you are why Illinois is losing population hand over fist? Or do you just care about getting your cut of the racket?
Illinois population has remained stagnant so we are not losing people “hand over fist”. I do think that Illinois population struggles are tied to its policies, particularly around our crime policies. I don’t think Griffin leaves Chicago because he could save money on taxes. If he wanted to do that he would have left decades ago. He left because of the crime and lack of seriousness in addressing it. Now, Illinois debt from not paying the appropriate amount towards the pension funds have increased our tax burden. That’s what happens when you go into debt each and every year. It’s… Read more »
PPF – I guess that’s what upsets people with School Districts and government in general. I know these people are elected and some people vote and some don’t, so in theory we have a “choice” and in concept we have a voice, but often voices are not listened to. When Councils or boards, decide they want to take more money from you for their most recent pretty program, they often work scams and angles to get it done and not just being straight with the voters. Even when the voters say no…6 months later, these boards scam and angle for… Read more »
Exactly right. They aren’t being straight with people, such as gutting and replacing language in a bill prior to the actual vote. It’s a con game. Those who say “What? No problem here. You can change it by voting” are promoting the con game.
Have you any ideas about how to bring a halt to the forever increasing tax demands coming from the school boards? Voters are apathetic and the teachers unions are strong. I am just about ready to give up on Illinios.
The requirement for all day kindergarten is mandated by the state. It didn’t come from the district. The school boards are merely responding to the requirements. The other voters in the state want this type of spending.
I agree with you that voters are strong. Their majority opinion drives this state. Unfortunately they are not very educated on the subject matter. Some will blame local school boards rather than state government leaders. It’s too bad their votes count the same.
We already have a kindergarten. Why the need for expanding in the first place? Just because it’s ‘allowed’ doesn’t mean that it’s necessary.
Wrong. Every school district in Illinois will be required to offer full day kindergarten by 2027. New buildings or additions may be required. So it is necessary.
Kelly, PPF is unfortunately right. I am not saying all day kindergarten is needed, but somehow the state decided it is – which is the problem. In many cases, the State Board of Education (A questionable organization at best) dictates to districts what they will and won’t be doing or offering – often unfunded. The District then has to figure out how to make it fit in their budget or they have to get more money…from guess who? Having a board like this dictate to local districts what they will and won’t do is a large part of the problem,… Read more »
No school district should be allowed to borrow money and go further in debt without a referendum. School districts should be transparent about their curriculum and have parent approval as well. I’m tired of having no representation or voice in government.
Your representatives at the state level decided that school districts don’t need a referendum. You have a voice in government it’s just not being listened to because more voices disagree want different types of leaders.
The Oak Park & River Forest D200 board led by arrogant former board president Tom Cofsky consciously went out of its way to devise a funding mechanism to avoid a referendum of what will end up being a $140-$150 million poll driven athletic rehab. They ignored their own community finance committee, which meekly had opposed the boards desire to avoid referendum and to use inappropriate funding sources. In a better world OPRF would have had a board that insisted on a referendum given the expense, but no, Cofsky’s ego and know it all attitude carried the day. They did a… Read more »
Good article and informative I never new my crappy school district Valley View 365 u was so far in debt, or should I rephrase it and say the taxpayers of Romeoville and Bolingbrook Illinois, and now contract talks coming up this year. There are very few in Romeoville that are aware of other incidents that involve this school district reason it’s a small village of about 23 miles in circumference with no TV exposure, everything is word of mouth, there is scandal in the school district and within the Village that’s kept hush hush.
Debt is a way of stealing money from the next generation, which nobody does it better than the Illinois education system.