Center Cass Tax Hike's Lead Widens In Vote Count

DARIEN, IL – A proposed property tax increase in Center Cass School District 66 is still ahead in the vote counting for last Tuesday's election.

Of nearly 6,000 votes cast, the tax hike was 15 votes ahead as of Tuesday morning, according to unofficial returns. The tallies are 2,921 for and 2,906 against.

Mail-in ballots could come in for weeks. They must be postmarked by Election Day.

When vote counting stopped Tuesday, the tax increase was down by nine votes. Later in the week, it was up by the same number.

If the referendum passes, the school district's portion of the property tax bill is expected to increase by nearly 20 percent.

School officials have said the district is in dire financial shape and lacks the money to get through a full school year.

In June, 60 percent of voters rejected a nearly 25 percent tax increase.

Tensions rose on local social media in the weeks and months leading to the latest referendum, with both sides accusing the other of misleading the public. The debates have continued since.

When it appeared the tax hike would go down last week, school board member Brian Liedtke took to the NextDoor app to accuse those voting against it of having "selfish tendencies."

Liedtke also resigned last Wednesday from two city committees, expressing his differences with the city in general and Ward 6 Alderman Eric Gustafson in particular.

Gustafson has been a vocal opponent of the tax increase.