Little new was discussed at last night’s community forum on where to locate District 150’s planned new school(s). But I had to chuckle when district treasurer Guy Cahill explained why the existing buildings couldn’t be fixed up. He said that the buildings had been evaluated and determined to cost more to repair than to replace (although I believe those estimates are suspect), so the Illinois State Board of Education will not allow tax money to be spent fixing up the buildings in order to protect the taxpayers’ interests.

Of course, the reason the buildings are in disrepair is because of the poor maintenance the school district has done. That didn’t protect the taxpayers’ insterests.

The district spent $877,500 on properties on Prospect Road that it can’t use, doesn’t need, and won’t sell off — with taxpayer money. That didn’t protect the taxpayers’ insterests.

Senate Bill 2477 was recently passed by the state at District 150’s behest and will allow the school board to raise taxes for new school construction without a referendum via the Public Building Commission. That — by definition — doesn’t protect the taxpayers’ interests.

But now, we’re supposed to believe that consolidating three older neighborhood schools into a big, new, consolidated school is in the taxpayers’ interests — that it will be better “both financially and educationally,” according to school board president David Gorenz. From listening to the community forums, it doesn’t sound like the community believes it.