Although schools in Barrington, Elgin and Park Ridge stand to reap up to $15 million each from the much heralded state school finance package, the new legislation does not mean Christmas for every school district in the northwest suburbs.
On the flipside is Palatine Township High School District 211, which stands to lose up to $1.25 million because the legislation makes changes to state aid. Schaumburg Elementary District 54 may lose about $500,000 in state aid.
While busloads of Chicago parents sang and prayed in the Capitol Rotunda Tuesday for passage of the bill, staff and parents representing Palatine Township Elementary District 15, Arlington Heights Elementary District 25, Arlington Heights-based High School District 214 and Districts 54 and 211 were hoping for its defeat.
The group opposed the increased tax on telephone service, riverboat casinos and cigarettes to fuel school funding. Ultimately, the group hoped the bill would more substantively alter schools’ reliance on property taxes.
There also was criticism of provisions of the bill that could reduce state funding for some high school districts by changing the way school aid is calculated.
Palatine District 211 Associate Supt. Michael Hyde summed it up this way: “I don’t think there is anything here for District 211 or any of the other districts close to us.”
In a similar state is Palatine Elementary District 15, which already completed most of its building, and expects to lose about $250,000 in state aid. But the district is thankful for one bonus in the new legislation–a loan program for technology.
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Among the winners from the new legislation, growing Elgin School District 46, the state’s second-largest district, stands to gain $15 million in additional state aid in 1998-99.
One of the biggest beneficiaries of the legislature’s plan to offer matching funds for school construction projects could be Barrington Unit District 220. The district would gain more than $15 million if it approves a second building referendum.
“It’s almost unbelievable, isn’t it?” said a gleeful Alan Hahn, business director in Barrington District 220, where reticent voters have killed two of three recent building referendum attempts and roughly $50 million in renovations are planned. “It sounds great. I hope it works.”
Although the new bill will tempt schools across the state to try for more building referendums in 1998, few northwest schools are ready to take that action. Many already have begged voters and borrowed money for school additions or new structures.
But in Mt. Prospect Elementary District 57, board President Thomas Munz said his district might look to the new legislation to pay for a $1.5 million roof project.
The temptation to start capital projects is real. With the new legislation, the state promises to underwrite between 35 percent and 75 percent of future building referendums with the new tax sources, said Ed Welk, appropriations director for House Republicans in Springfield.
Districts where voters passed building referendums in 1996 and 1997 are in line for about $44 million in reimbursements. The new legislation also sets aside $1.1 billion from 1998 to 2002 to fund school construction projects. Districts will get state grants based on how weak their property tax base is and if the work meets one of five prioritized criteria.
The most likely reimbursement will come for building necessitated by natural disaster, to alleviate overcrowding due to population growth or to replace aging buildings. Grants also will be offered to districts that must consolidate and build a new school, that must renovate for health or safety hazards or that must renovate to meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.
But some school districts that will see a cash windfall opposed the bill anyway. The bill contains language giving the state greater control over charter schools, among other provisions, said District 64 Supt. Fred Schroeder.
Until the 11th hour Tuesday, Schroeder opposed the bill even though his Park Ridge district will gain about $813,000 toward a recently approved building referendum.
Schroeder said the bill contains unfunded mandates and still falls short of providing the equity Gov. Jim Edgar touted.