The district’s contract with the CCEA expired on August 31, 2022 – are they waiting for the results of the Referendum, to negotiate a new contract?
A new contract has yet to be negotiated with the district’s Teachers Union – the Center Cass Education Association (CCEA) – but when finalized, could be retroactive to September 1, 2022. What was and is the district waiting for? What is the impact of this uncertainty on attracting and retaining quality teachers? The referendum should not have delayed negotiating and finalizing a new contract, with corresponding staff salaries and benefits, in place for this school year.
With “Salaries” and “Benefits” accounting for over 72% ($12M) of the district’s budgeted annual expenditures of over $16.6M – per the BOE’s recently approved FY23 Budget – they they should have PLANNED and NEGOTIATED an affordable agreement, before the previous contract expired and this school year started. The BOE should have a clear understanding of these substantial contractual obligations for this and future years.
No Shortage of Money to Fund the Referendum Campaign
In addition to receiving donations from individual supporters, the CCEA is providing significant financial assistance to PROMOTE this Referendum campaign.
“Diogenes PAC, which has a Downers Grove mailing address, states in its report that it started with seed money of $95,000 when it formed in late September. Diogenes’ leadership is made up of three teachers in Center Cass School District 66, which serves parts of Darien and Downers Grove.” – Darien Patch 10/18/22
100% of the $95,000 of funding for Diogenes PAC came from the D66 Teachers Union, Center Cass Education Association (CCEA)
Wonder who is paying for all those signs, scary mailers, robo texts, TV and YouTube ads?
According to public records, as of 11/9/22, the CCSD 66 Teachers Union (CCEA) and the union-backed Diogenes PAC, have contributed OVER $100K to the local ballot initiative committee, Save Center Cass SD 66. Contributions over $1,000 must be reported to the Illinois State Board of Elections.
In the final week leading to November 8th, even more money was being donated, by the Teachers Union, to support the pro referendum campaign.
Link to article –
https://patch.com/illinois/darien-il/darien-pro-tax-hike-group-union-funded
The current BOE did not “respect” the outcome of the previous referendum on June 28th, when the majority of the community voted NO, and chose to immediately put it back on the ballot in November. Supporters are prepared to do “whatever it takes”, with over $100,000 to litter the community with signs and spend, spend, SPEND, to incite fear and spread half truths, to get their desired outcome – an additional $2.5M per year (on top of the $14.9M they already receive annually from taxpayers) – to pay for all the programs, building improvements and services they failed to provide, with the tens of MILLIONS they received, year after year. With just under 1,100 students (a number that has not increased, for decades, even though hundreds of new homes have been constructed during this time), that would equate to over $17K per pupil spend.
They say they have not had a “tax rate” increase in 25 years but they certainly have INCREASED TAXES, through multiple referendums (as recently as 2017), an increased number of new homes and increased home values. They stated that if the referendum passes, many of the recent belt tightening measures will go away. How long before the extra $2.5+M – per year – is not enough?
Link to Patch Article dated 10/3/22 –
https://patch.com/illinois/darien-il/big-donor-center-cass-pro-tax-hike-group
Link to the district’s FY23 Budget – https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Agenda/1490?meeting=540288
Link to the expired CCEA contract – https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1133922/CCEA_Contract_2018-2022.pdf
Documents related to the district’s CCEA Contract and other Collective Bargaining Agreements can be found here – https://www.ccsd66.org/documents/financial-information/collective-bargaining-agreements/ccea/193965.
Link to Illinois State Board of Elections Information –
Link to the “Diogenes PAC” Information –
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