You may recall that District 150, despite having just borrowed $30 million in tax-anticipation warrants at the beginning of the year to make payroll, is already running out of money again and needs to borrow $35 million more. This time they would raise the money through working cash bonds which will be repaid via property taxes over the next several years. Here’s the rub:
If 10 percent of voters petition the district to take the sale of the cash bonds to referendum, the district would run into a wall, having to wait until November, or plead with a judge to hold a special election, [interim controller Norm] Durflinger added.
Hopkins says “some people are now looking at this petition option.” “It could be a bargaining chip to stop future school closings, or could be affirmed on its own,” or it could be a way to get District 150 “management” to “resign in shame,” she says.
My take: When I first heard about this idea (of forcing a referendum on the bonds), I have to say, it didn’t thrill me. First of all, public schooling is an essential service and should be funded. Secondly, I just finished waging an unsuccessful effort to defeat the public facilities tax referendum, and I just don’t have the energy to do that again (so soon, at least). Thirdly, I have a hard time getting over the irony of museum tax supporters like Hopkins suddenly getting all concerned about wasting tax dollars. Apparently throwing $40 million down the drain on a museum is okay, but $35 million to pay teachers is unacceptable.
However, the more I think about it, the more I think forcing a referendum may not be such a bad idea. Why? Consider:
- They have been eluding voter accountability long enough. When District 150 wanted to build new schools, the money for that building program should have been submitted to the public via referendum. But it wasn’t. District 150, with the help of our state legislators (including then-state representative Schock) got legislation passed allowing District 150 to access the Public Building Commission for its building program, bypassing the voters and allowing them to raise our property taxes without a referendum. Practically speaking, this also meant they didn’t have to have public buy-in on the siting and design of the new school buildings.
- They have passed up other potential revenue. District 150 could have supported other school districts in the county and forced a 1/4% sales tax referendum onto the April ballot that, if passed, would have helped all county school districts get money for infrastructure needs, but they didn’t. District 150 officials won’t speak on this topic for attribution, but privately say that the reason they didn’t support this was because (a) they were asked not to by museum supporters such as Caterpillar and the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce, who you may recall sent letters to all the school districts pressuring them to keep this off the ballot so it wouldn’t jeopardize the museum tax from passing, and (b) they didn’t want a new revenue stream right before they negotiated a new teachers contract because they thought it could lead to demands for higher pay/benefits. Hey, if they’re looking for ways to avoid getting more revenue, maybe they would favor forcing the bond issuance to a referendum.
- More money won’t resolve the root problem: mismanagement. We’ve been through this kind of crisis once already. We’ve already closed schools so that District 150 could allegedly get their fiscal house in order. Why are we going through this again — and so soon?
- It is not just because of revenue shortfalls. This crisis is often explained as merely a revenue problem — that everything would be hunky-dory if it hadn’t been for the recession or reductions in state aid. That would be believable except that no other school district around here is in quite the crisis as District 150. For example, Pekin’s school district actually has a surplus. While their FY08 budget does have a planned deficit built into it, it’s covered not by loans, but reserves that have been saved up over several years — most recently FY07.
- Savings from last round of closures were squandered. In 2007, District 150 closed White and Blaine-Sumner schools. However, they didn’t sell Blaine-Sumner, but remodeled it (including adding air conditioning) and turned it into district offices for about 80 workers. They did eventually sell the White School building for $750,000, but they also acquired the former Social Security Administration building on Knoxville and spent $1.27 million to remodel it to house their “transition to success academy.” Is it really any wonder that the district was unable to put up a surplus and save for a rainy day?
By and large, we still have the same management team in place now as was in place then. If they were unable to properly manage the last crisis, why should we have any confidence that money given them this time will be any better managed?
From what I’ve heard, the worst that could happen if a referendum is forced is that the referendum could fail, the district could become insolvent and be taken over by the state or, possibly, the city. I’m beginning to think that’s not such a bad outcome. Small changes in the makeup of the school board over the past five years doesn’t appear to be working; a complete overhaul of the administration may be necessary.
Still, my mind isn’t totally made up. If anyone can give me reasons to have confidence in the current administration and their stated plans for improvement, I’m all ears.
Yes, I bet now is the time they will be purging e-mails from the system–Ha! There’s quite a bit of information “out there,” but no one wants to risk putting it on the blog. Much of it will probably remain in the rumor mill–just as we have never found out why Cahill is gone.
Frustrated: Yes, I was confused for a minute–thought maybe you just wanted to narrow down the cause of your frustration.
Please, or please, say it “isn’t” so! District 150 has people in the admin building that are “unethical”! I’ve been told that only “the best” end up on Wisconsin…..
Sharon, if you see a smiley face, you know it isn’t me. I don’t know how to make them either.
Just ’cause I’m frustrated doesn’t mean I can’t be happy! Type a colon then an end parentheses, it will automatically come up an emoticon on the blog 🙂
🙂 OK–but how do I know if it will be happy or sad or mad?
(: practicing
The program automatically determines your mood from your text and sets the expression itself.
I have been told the person charged is [name redacted by blog owner] in Central Administration. [Portion of comment deleted by blog owner]. This information has not been confirmed nor denied by anyone at D150 or in law enforcement.
Interesting they may be purging e-mails on the same weekend an Admin allegedly has charges filed against them.
[Comment deleted by blog owner.]
[Comment deleted by blog owner.]
This makes me sad! 🙂 Actually, just trying out a “sad face.” I am wondering when all of this information will be revealed in the PJS. I assume you have all heard that there is still a possibility that [description redacted by blog owner] is on the “secret” Human Resources agenda to be fired at the next meeting. From all I have heard, that move could also have some interesting repercussions. When will [name redacted by blog owner] departure be announced–and [name redacted by blog owner]. I guess 150 could possibly be saving some money by reducing personnel at the top–unless there are replacements in the wings. Never a dull moment in District 150!
Diane–Your advice “The program automatically determines your mood from your text and sets the expression itself.” Since I still got a smiley face, can I assume the program can detect when I am misrepresenting my mood?
One more thought: This situation perhaps involving misuse and/or misappropriation of funds in District 150 (even if it is on a rather small scale), is another reason why the new financial program cannot bring about complete transparency. There are so many funds scattered throughout the district–all provide opportunities for misuing money. Obviously, this [name of school redacted by blog owner] fund wouldn’t ordinarily make its way into public view–and these numerous funds probably have no real effect on the present 150 financial problems. However, District 150 does need more whistleblowers–people “closer” to these funds.
FEAR AND INTIMIDATION!!! If you are a whistle blower do you get fired?
Aren’t there laws now that protect whistleblowers? However, whistleblowers need to “have all their ducks in a row” and be sure to have their side (and support for their side) out in the public ASAP–just my humble advice. Blogs are wonderful places to get some of that publicity and support–good sounding boards. It still takes courage and lots of it.
🙁 that’s me practicing
HA! Ok, Sharon You need one of these : and one of these ( for a sad face.
If you have ever been bullied, you will know why things are still quiet.
Sharon – I am hoping and praying that you knew I was kidding about the auto smiley face detection. 😉
Yes, but I was being a smart aleck and also thought maybe there was a reverse signal to send to the computer–improvisation didn’t work but Teachingrocks reveal the correct order of : and ) (. Now I’m prepared to reveal my emotions at all times.
Obviously, this [name of school redacted by blog owner] fund wouldn’t ordinarily make its way into public view–and these numerous funds probably have no real effect on the present 150 financial problems.
Sharon, I respectfully disagree.
Thanks for the tip, Diane (et. al.), but I don’t know your sources or their reliability, and thus, I’m not comfortable naming names here. If you would like to post the information on your blog (and take the legal responsibility for it), I’ll be happy to link to you. Otherwise, I’d just as soon not expose myself to a potential libel suit.
Diane: I don’t disagree with you about the importance of these funds–however, I’m not sure that these various activity funds from each school show up on the overall 150 budget at all. Aren’t they often generated by PTOs, various clubs, etc? I believe there are many accounts within a particular building (especially at the high school level) that are completely out of the hands of board members. I am not on firm ground here, but I don’t think school board members vote on expenditures from these funds. As to the particular fund in question right now, I doubt that the school board would have had any knowledge of the questionable expenditures. Frankly, I don’t even think Hinton would have–if the expenditures had been reported to him.
Correction to my previous post: –if the expenditures had “not” been reported to him.
CJ – 1. You couldn’t be held responsible for statements made by me on your blog 2. My sources are very reliable and 3. No problem – I understand. 😉
Sharon: I hope we are cool. 😉
OK Why is everybody so paranoid about posting this Admin’s name if it is in a police report that Billy has seen with his eyes? Do you really think someone is going to get a lawyer and come after these blogs?
Emtronics: We are cool; teaching provided me with a thick skin and an appreciation for everyone’s point of view. I’ve never had any acting talent–so the drama queen label was almost a compliment. 🙂 I’ve made enough mistakes in my life to be forced to maintain a certain degree of humility (which may not always be as apparent as I’d like it to be).
New rule: Every one must make a smiley after every post 😉
Sharon–I’ve heard that someone whom you asked about earlier will actually be making *her* departure this summer. 😀 🙂 <—– for diane
Look what I started 🙂
If there actually is a police report will someone please tell me why the Journal Star is not reporting it!
It’s my understanding there will be an article in tomorrow’s edition of PJS.
Oh, I forgot my 😀
It is still amazing that the server is still down….Are they trying to protect emails regarding this issue to board members and adminstrators.
I just tried the PSD website. It came up it was broken. However, I Googled Cache. Does anyone know if the Charter School Meeting took place on Friday…Who attended. On Cache page…it listed this meeting and also that there is a Special School Board Meeting Tuesday night. Maybe you all knew this and I am just a late comer.
First thing this morning, I go looking at PJS and don’t see a thing about what’s happening on Wisconsin. Then I try my district e:mail and it’s still down. I’m a little bewildered.
Don’t worry, I’m quite sure the proverbial @#%& is going to hit the fan, first thing this morning…ain’t LIFE grand…..:)
It is my understanding charges have not been filed, that only a complaint was made. No one has been arrested and it is now, possibly, in the hands of the state’s attorney. This is probably why nothing has been in the paper. If no charges are filed, it may never make the paper. There could be a logical explanation for all the rumors. 😉
Does anyone have a copy of the District 150 Board Meeting agenda for tonight?
Yes, the only item is approval of early termination of a principal contract.
early dismissal? Who? so, who is going to take their place til the end of the year? And why are they being let go? They probably won’t give out those details.
Isn’t this kind of thing handled in a private meeting before the public meeting?
Yes, it will be handled in a meeting before the public meeting–and the board will vote on it (without names) at the public meeting. I guess we all know who the principal is. The BOE might not reveal details, but maybe the principal will. I don’t suppose there is any chance that they changed their minds during the time the website has been shut down??? Probably not.
If the principal is going to sue, they won’t say anything.