In a move likely responding to pressure from local newspapers and the public, Naperville School District 203 will not collect an additional $5 million in property taxes this year that it was legally entitled to levy. The Daily Herald reports that School Superintendent Alan Leis said the district will not collect the additional funds this year from a 2002 tax referendum because “[w]e’ve been able to accomplish what we’ve set out to do and we shouldn’t take any more money than we need to do that.” According to the Daily Herald District 203 received $45.8 million more, over a number of years implementing the tax, than if it had taken the tax in one year. District consultants put the figure at $24 million. While the tax collection was legal and standard for Illinois, it’s a bad system of poorly devised laws. School District 203 did the right thing here in not spending the additional money and should be given credit for it. It’s time to build trust, so that taxpayers will fund our schools appropriately.
I believe in fully funding our schools. I also believe in “truth in advertising” for tax referenda. Don Harmon and Mike Tryon have been working in the State Assembly trying to get a bill passed that will make tax referenda easier to understand and calculate. Tell your representatives to vote for it. We should know what we pay and what we get for our tax dollars.
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