District 86 $166 Million Bond Issue Fails

HINSDALE, IL — District 86 voters said "no" to the $166.4 million building bond issue. The proposition lost by nearly 3,000 votes. According to the FAQ section on the District 86 referendum page, the money is needed because of the age of both Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South.

In a letter to the community, Superintendent Dr. Bruce Law thanked the board of education and community members for working on the referendum.

"We continue to believe these projects are necessary to keep our schools competitive," Law said in the letter. "I have spoken with Board President Bill Carpenter and the next step is to discuss with the full board at the next meeting what to do now that District 86 voters have said no to the referendum."

Election Results

With 92 of 92 precincts reporting:

• Yes - 14,731
• No - 17,461

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The polls open at 6 a.m. Tuesday and close at 7 p.m. NOTE: Tuesday's results are unofficial and do not include provisional and late absentee ballots.

The FAQ states that the bond issue would have been used to make buildings more accessible to the disabled and more secure for students and staff.

"We all know that $166 million is a lot of money but the question is whether the community wants schools that are sound in their infrastructure, accessible to the disabled, more secure for students and staff, and whose facilities are up to par with the instruction taking place inside them," the FAQ reads.

The question that voters will see on the ballot is:

"Shall the Board of Education of Hinsdale Township High School District Number 86, DuPage and Cook Counties, Illinois, improve the sites of, renovate, alter, repair and equip and replace portions of the Hinsdale Central High School Campus and Hinsdale South High School Campus, including, but not limited to, installing safety and security systems and equipment; making facilities accessible to persons with disabilities; repairing 60-year-old infrastructure; renovating all learning spaces, including classrooms, libraries, and science labs; adding classrooms and facilities for music students and pre-engineering students; expanding and improving the spaces where students receive academic, social, and health support services; and replacing the swimming pool at each high school, and issue bonds of said School District to the amount of $166,426,514 for the purpose of paying the costs thereof?"

District 86 serves Hinsdale, Burr Ridge, Darien, Oak Brook and Willowbrook.

More Illinois voting info: Everything To Know About The Illinois 2018 Midterm Elections

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