By Bob Bong
Voters in Palos School District 118 strongly approved a proposal to raise one tax fund and lower another at a referendum Tuesday.
The district asked for approval to shift $4.35 million from its debt service fund to its operating fund.
With 17 of 18 precincts reporting, there were 2,461 “yes” votes to 1,662 “no” votes. Turnout for the referendum was about 25 percent.
The district will have no debt later this year and officials wanted to lower that tax rate and increase it by the same amount in the operating fund.
The proposal was to use $2 million to avoid cuts to programs and services, use another $2 million to fund capital improvements to the district’s aging school buildings, and use $350,000 to pay for the state’s mandated free full-day kindergarten.
Supt. Anthony M. Scarsella said unfunded state mandates threatened the district’s “future success.”
He said voting for the transfer would neither increase or decrease property taxes.
Scarsella said numerous unfunded educational mandates passed by the General Assembly in Springfield have placed further financial hurdles on District 118.
“We’re here seeking voter approval due to the constant onslaught of unfunded mandates from Springfield and Washington, D.C.”
Scarsella said that since 1982, the General Assembly has sent 699 mandates to local school districts. District 118 has only fully funded four mandates.
“District 118 has and is forced to pick up the cost of all those unfunded mandates at a local level, placing a significant strain on our operating budget,” he said.
Scarsella said the cost of unfunded state and federal mandates increased from approximately $2.4 million in 2012 to $6 million in 2023.
“We’ve been spending cash reserves since 2017 to pay for these unfunded mandates and maintain existing programs and services,” Scarsella said.
“If approved, this shift will provide financial stability for the next generation of Palos 118 students,” he said.