Community Update

Last year 60% of voters said NO to the Wheaton-Warrenville District 200 tax increase referendum.  At that time, District 200 claimed that Jefferson Preschool was the most urgent need and that all other buildings had already been updated. Meanwhile District 200 pocketed a $14.46 million school construction grant it received from the State of Illinois, rather than spend the money on school construction. Now, District 200 has put Jefferson Preschool on the “back burner”, but plans to borrow $10 million in new debt,without voter approval.  The District says the money is needed to repair other schools.
A LITTLE HISTORYIn 2002, the District had $10.3 million in the Working Cash Fund.  Since then, it has borrowed money by issuing bonds for Working Cash purposes:  $11 million in 2002; $19.5 million in 2004; and another $20 million in 2009.  All of those bonds were issued without a referendum, and they add to the property tax burden because they are not subject to the tax cap.   And do not forget about the high school and Hubble Referendums.
The oldest school report card that I have is 1992. At that point the average teacher salary was $41,118. If I put that into an inflation calculator, by 2013 that should be $68,530. However, according to the handouts from last Wed. Engage200 meeting the current average teacher salary is $78,078. On average teachers are being paid almost $10,000 more than they would had pay simply kept up with inflation. I'm guessing that administrators have seen even bigger pay increases. The district had 1106 entries in familytaxpayerfoundation's list of employees (admin, teachers and support staff - does not include secretaries or aids) For a rough estimate 1,000 employees at $10,000 is $10,000,000. Had teacher and administrator salaries increase at the rate of inflation the district would spend $10 million less per year.
Please remember this when school board elections happen again (2015).  Or if they try another referendum.