In March 2022, the CCSD 66 Board of Education (BOE) voted to proceed with a referendum to permanently increase the Limiting Tax Rate from 2.144% (current) to 2.650%. It was presented as a Yes (“FOR” the tax increase) or NO (“AGAINST” the tax increase) question on the June 28, 2022 – GENERAL PRIMARY ELECTION Ballot. This referendum failed to pass – 60% voted NO; 40% voted Yes.

In August 2022, the CCSD 66 Board of Education (BOE) voted again to proceed with another referendum to permanently increase the Limiting Tax Rate by an additional amount from 2.144% (current) to be equal to 2.550% – a 19% permanent increase in the Limiting Tax Rate.

The “Proposition” will be presented as a Yes (“FOR” the tax increase) or NO (“AGAINST” the tax increase) question on the November 8, 2022 – GENERAL ELECTION Ballot.

The referendum language is as follows:

“Shall the limiting rate under the Property Tax Extension
Limitation Law for Center Cass School District 66, DuPage
County, Illinois be increased by an additional amount equal to
0.4094% above the limiting rate for school purposes for levy
year 2021 and be equal to 2.5500% of the equalized assessed
value of the taxable property therein for levy year 2022?”

The Proposition (referendum) will look like this on the November 2022 Ballot:

If the referendum passes, this will be an increase of approximately 19% for the “Grade School Dist 66” line item on the property tax bill, that currently accounts for approximately 35%-40% of the total property tax bill, depending upon which town you live in. This value is estimated to be in excess of $500 per year, on a home with a “Fair Cash Value” of $400,000 and a “Net Equalized Assessed Value” of $125,333.

Contrary to many negative comments by referendum supporters, on multiple social media platforms, our community does, in fact, support this school district and our high school district. Numerous Building Bond referendums were passed by our community’s taxpayers over the years. As recently as 2017, our taxpayers approved a CCSD 66 referendum for the issue of $12.91 million in Building Bonds for the “repairs, maintenance, alterations, additions, site improvements, equipping and increasing safety and security for our schools.” This increased property taxes in 2018 by approximately $270 for a $400,000 home – an increase that will be in place until the bond debt is paid off in 2037. And the following year, in 2018, our voters approved a $136.6 million bond proposal and 24 year property tax hike to finance a Master Facility Plan to update and improve both high schools in Downers Grove HSD 99.

Finally, every four years, by law, the Township Assessor must review and reassess all property in the jurisdiction. In the middle three years, normally a multiplier is applied to all parcels within a Township. It’s in the fourth year, the General Reassessment year, that adjustments are made to reflect the market activity in smaller specific areas and neighborhoods within a Township. Next year, 2023, is a DuPage County General Reassessment Year (Quadrennial). If the referendum passes, the tax increase will be applied to the reassessed value of your property.

Unfortunately, this district has a long track record of spending more than it receives, year after year. Unlike other local governments, their historic budget process does not forecast ahead into future years, to plan for increasing and predictable expenses, like salaries and benefits. If changes are not made now, to address the ever-increasing costs of wages, raises, bonuses, benefits and pensions, in addition to the current debt burden, the infusion of these new tax dollars will have minimum impact. A “yes” vote, at this time, will continue to enable more wasteful spending. Illinois has one of the highest combined state and local tax burdens in the nation and throwing good money after bad simply perpetuates this unsustainable cycle. A “NO” vote will send a clear message to the BOE and administration that taxpayers expect, and demand, the top down changes needed for the long-term financial health of this district, its students and its staff.

We support the children, teachers and staff at the district, but we also believe in fiscal responsibility – and a long-term plan and solution – to address the largest district expenses. This does not mean punishing the students by making the small and painful cuts the district announced in August – like eliminating extracurricular activities and firing the lowest custodial paid staff. The Board of Education and district administration need to demonstrate their willingness, and ability, to make the difficult top-down decisions, before they come to the taxpayers, asking for another tax increase and more money.