The following resolution was passed 6-0 by the Cary Grade School District 26 Board of Education Monday night. My thanks to board member Chris Jenner for sending it to me.

Hard to imagine, but these local educators don’t want the Illinois General Assembly to hike income taxes 67% and send the “free money” back to them to spend.

Jenner says that Palatine School District 15 passed pretty much the same resolution on April 9.

Here is the resolution, which other emboldened school board members might present to their colleagues for approval:

A RESOLUTION ADVOCATING AGAINST SB2288 and HB750

A RESOLUTION to send a letter to the Illinois state elected officials listed below, advocating against Illinois Senate Bill 2288 and Illinois House Bill 750.

WHEREAS, the Cary Community Consolidated School District 26 Board of Education is responsible for advocating to the Illinois state elected officials representing the District 26 attendance area in matters related to education and impacting District 26; and

WHEREAS, HB750 and SB2288 propose raising the personal income tax rate from 3% to 5%, a 67% increase, and propose raising the corporate income tax rate from 4.8% to 8%; and

WHEREAS, the proposed property tax relief (if enacted) provides only a 20% reduction on the education portion of the property tax payers’ bill, and there are no restrictions preventing an increase in local property tax rates or redirection of the property tax abatement fund; and

WHEREAS, with a slowing economy and increasing prices, an increase in taxes will adversely affect the District 26 community, families and businesses and adversely affect the tax base that supports education in District 26; and

WHEREAS, of the $8 billion estimated to be raised by SB2288 and HB750, only 7.5% will go to education, 36% will go to property tax relief, and the remaining 56.5% will go to fund state debt, road construction, state employee pensions and unpaid Medicaid bills, which do not benefit education; and

WHEREAS, the proposed increases in state funding for education under HB750 and SB2288 will only provide a small increase in the state funding that District 26 actually receives; and

WHEREAS, shifting substantial portions of District 26 revenues from a steady property tax base under local control, to a less reliable income tax base under State control, undermines the idea of local control of education; and

WHEREAS, we believe that under HB750 and SB2288 the District 26 attendance area will send more tax revenue to the state than it will receive from the state, providing less tax base to support education in District 26;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY CARY COMMUNITY CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT 26 BOARD OF EDUCATION THAT:

We urge the Illinois state elected officials representing the District 26 attendance area to oppose SB 2288 and HB 750, as we believe it will adversely affect local control of education, provides a less reliable form of education funding for District 26 and will reduce the tax base available to support education in District 26 by increasing the State tax burden on District 26 families and businesses.

Approved this ___ day of April 2008

CRAIG LOEW
President, Board of Education, Cary Community Consolidated School District 26

Missing was school board member Steve Bush. He recently had rotator cuff surgery and is still under medication, Jenner advises.

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Cary Elementary School District 26 Board member Chris Jenner is seen fighting the Village of Cary’s Route 14 Tax Increment Financing district.