I urge you to vote for Brian Souders for the OPRF Board. He’s the only candidate to unequivocally support referendum bonds for the $100 million+ Project 2.
Referendum bonds are best, standard practice for public capital projects. In 2015, 4,300 D200 residents petitioned to put a D200 bond issue on the ballot. In 2020, more than 77% agreed that capital expenditures should be subject to referendum. And yet, incredibly, the board is poised to bypass voters and finance Project 2 with non-referendum debt certificates.
The other candidates support bypassing voters or are content to go along with the lame duck board’s decision. If you vote only for Brian Souders, this will send a powerful message that you want to vote on Project 2.
But that’s not the only reason to vote for Souders. He really cares about kids, as he’s shown by years of involvement with Boy Scouts and as a youth baseball coach. And he has two children at OPRF.
He’s a communications professional committed to true transparency. He has a strong commitment to fiscal responsibility. But he also recognizes the need to support educational excellence, equity, and renovating the 100-year-old+ building. He’s the candidate best able to balance the high school’s responsibility to its students and taxpayers.
Souders will be an independent voice on a board that sorely needs one. Please join me in voting for him on April 4.
Judith Alexander
Oak Park
