Saturday, the Daily Herald editorially encouraged Carpentersville District 300 to pass a conflict of interest rule that would prohibit potential vendors from giving money to a pro-tax hike group from doing business with the district for two years.

It uses Burnidge Cassell and Associates $5,000 contribution to Advance 300 just before the 2006 referendums.

Here’s what was said:

Too, too close:

New District 300 school board member John Ryan has proposed the district ban the sort of relationship that allowed Elgin design firm Burnidge Cassell and Associates to make a $5,000 donation to pro-tax hike group Advance 300 before the 2006 referendums and later collect a no-bid contract to design the new schools funded by that tax hike.

Ryan’s right, but he also appears to be pretty alone in his belief that this sort of relationship is not beneficial to taxpayers or conducive to trust. He shouldn’t be so lonely.

Let’s hope a few other board members see the obvious conflict and vote to end it.