The Hinsdale High School District 86 board voted unanimously for a 5% increase in the property tax levy at its last meeting.
The decision was expected after a board discussion in October highlighted the impact of a hike.
The district’s chief financial officer Josh Stephenson recommended going with a 5% increase, saying that any levy below the maximum would create a large gap. State law allows for a 5% maximum increase as long as inflation rises 5% or more.
“It’s an extraordinarily difficult decision to make,” Stephenson said at the October meeting. “Community members are struggling with inflationary pressures.”
Employees are also experiencing inflation, he said, adding that District 86 staff salaries and benefits make up 80% of the budget.
The proposed corporate and special purpose property taxes to be levied for 2022 are $94,932,195.00, representing a 5.82% increase over the previous year.
The estimated property taxes to be levied for debt service and public building commission leases for 2022 are $12,169,151.00, representing a 1.40% decrease over the previous year.
And the total property tax increase for 2022 is 4.95%, estimated at $107,101,346.00.
Board members approved the resolution without much discussion.
Also at the November meeting, assistant superintendent of human resources Cheryl Moore, said a total of 39 teachers are slated to retire in the next three years.
She said the human resources department created a draft staffing framework for the board to review before the final version is presented in December. The goal of the framework is to find areas to maximize academic opportunities while balancing fiscal responsibility while taking into account several staffing constraints like teacher qualifications and scheduling, Moore explained.
Board member Debra Levinthal asked Moore whether the district would make a concerted effort to find experienced teachers as opposed to those early in their careers.
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“What are the efforts looking like in terms of recruiting and hiring a range of experiences so that it’s not 39 first-year teachers with a bachelor’s?” Levinthal said. She trailed off, wondering if the district might consider three years and a Master’s degree as a guideline.
Moore said she is willing to extend the conversation, but clearer guidance would be helpful for her team.
“Those individuals cost more money,” Moore said. “I’ve heard we need to be tightening our belts, so those are mixed messages for me as an HR person — are we looking for (BA-one year) or do we want experienced people — we can’t do both that and be fiscally responsible.”
Moore will be presenting a final staffing framework to the board in December, one she hopes will make it easier to maximize resources.
“If we are given the green light to hire more experienced teachers that would be great — please give me direction on that so we can get our recruiting strategy in place,” she said.