It’s a done deal.
The District 200 Board of Education on Thursday night approved its proposed 2.5 percent increase in the high school’s property tax levy, bringing in roughly $1.6 million in new revenue.
Thursday’s two-hour public hearing preceded the board’s regular meeting, which reconvened shortly before 10 p.m. The hearing brought out about 60 attendees, resulting in the hearing taking place in OPRF’s large tutoring center rather than the board room. About half of those in attendance signed up to speak, but many ceded their time to other speakers. The board took action following the public’s comments. The vote was 6-1, with Sharon Patchak-Layman as the lone dissenter.
Nearly all of the speakers opposed the proposed levy increase and urged the board to vote no on it. Many insisted it was the wrong time to raise taxes on property owners given the still weak economy. Some of the speakers had harsh criticism for the administration, this current board and even the previous boards that approved OPRF’s 2002 tax hike increase and the controversial 2005 “phase-in” of additional tax dollars.
In voting against the levy increase, Sharon Patchak-Layman reiterated her long opposition to the school’s large and increasing fund balance, now roughly $117 million. The other board members, however, commended the administration for its financial stewardship that has allowed the school to hold off on going for another tax hike referendum to at least 2018.
Read more about the levy increase and hearing in Wednesday’s paper
