Big Donors To Center Cass Pro-Tax Hike Group: Report

DARIEN, IL – Teacher-affiliated organizations have been the biggest contributors to a group pushing for a major property tax increase in Center Cass School District 66.

According to state Board of Elections reports, the teachers union, officially known as the Center Cass Education Association, has donated a total of $23,000 this go-around to the Save Center Cass School District 66 committee.

The records show the union donated $20,000 last Tuesday and $3,000 in early August.

On Monday, though, Elizabeth Uribe, co-chairwoman of Save Center Cass, told Patch in an interview that the group should have reported the $20,000 donation as coming from the Downers Grove-based Diogenes political action committee, which formed last week. The committee's leadership is made up of three Center Cass teachers.

On Nov. 8, voters are set to decide on a nearly 20 percent increase in the district's part of the property tax bill.

In a June 28 referendum, 60 percent of voters rejected a 24 percent hike.

For that election, Save Center Cass raised $7,166. Forty percent of the money came from the union. The rest of the donations were so small that the committee was not required to report contributors' names.

In an email to Patch, Uribe said the Save Center Cass was nonpartisan and that it takes donations from all supporters.

"The teachers of Center Cass 66 are experiencing many challenges due to the lack of revenue the District receives," Uribe said. "They are understaffed, lack updated learning resources, and work in buildings that have significant issues. Often, they have to step in and act as custodians and social workers as well as teachers. The mission of a teacher union is to address these very issues. If CCEA feels the work of Save 66 aligns with its mission, it is understandable why it would want to support our efforts."

Last month, the school board described the district's financial situation as troubled. Officials said they didn't have enough money to make it through a full school year.