As Lake County residents prepare to vote in March on tax-increase requests by 13 school districts — the most in 10 years — officials increasingly blame tax caps for strained finances.
“They’re catching up with everybody,” said Jim Hintz, business superintendent at Stevenson High School District 125, which is seeking a tax increase for its education fund.
Although school officials generally speak with disdain about tax caps, some citizens groups see them as the only way to keep school spending in check.
“We think the tax caps are excellent,” said Dan Gura, a leader of Ela Area Tax Stoppers, which has opposed a plan by Lake Zurich School District 95 to raise property taxes. “The problem is, these districts seem to ignore them and are trying to increase what they spend anywayLake County school officials say tax caps didn’t take into account that the CPI would stay low or that districts would face years of enrollment growth.
“Tax caps were an excellent idea for a district not going through explosive growth,” said Grayslake High School District 127 Supt. Elizabeth McDonald. “But how do you keep the overall increase in spending down when you’re growing like we have?”
The student population is expected to hit 3,000 in the next seven years.
In March, the Grayslake High School District will ask voters for a 45-cent increase for its education fund and to approve the sale of $50 million in bonds for a new high school.
Also asking for education fund increases are Fremont School District 79, Big Hollow School District 38, Mundelein School District 75, Antioch High School District 117 and Beach Park School District 3.
Round Lake School District 116 and Grass Lake School District 36 are asking for tax-rate extensions.