In several discussions with Mr. Anthony Cozzi, District 90’s business manager, he has presented a very convincing case for the financial needs for school District 90. He is certainly an astute, knowledgeable and optimistic asset to our school district.
However, my apprehension, as presented to the him and the school board concerns the recent 29.12-percent median property tax reassessment increase, which will be increased further by the yearly increasing state equalizer (21 percent in 10 years). I believe this will result in windfall revenues, as exemplified by the 2003 (7.9 percent) and 2004 ((10.38 percent) increases only due to the OPRF referendum, without a reassessment. The will also translate into most taxpayers paying a much larger percentage of the tax revenues. None-the-less, Mr. Cozzi has unequivocally stated in phone conversations that he is convinced that due to the tax caps, such windfall revenues for District 90 can not occur.
However, to convince the numerous doubters that I’ve spoken with, I’ve asked Mr. Cozzi and the school board to: (1) with little, if any financial impact, to postpone the referendum until the November election to allow the RF taxpayer and school board to realize the actual impact of the property reassessment in this falls tax bills, and then determine if the referendum increase of 27.5 cents should be decreased in a November referendum, or (2) to go on record that should any windfall revenues result from an approved current referendum and the property reassessments , the school district will lower their tax rates in subsequent years to offset such windfall revenues.
Although to date there’s been no such statements, there’s still time for the courage of their convictions to be presented to the taxpayers before the March 21, 2006 voting date.
Ronald Ghilardi
River Forest
