Letter to the Editor: Those Opposed to Third High School, Let Your Voices Be Heard

At the June 13 Oswego School Board meeting there was a presentation by the administration comparing operational costs of additions vs. a third high school.

The presented costs for each addition added 17 personnel, (assistant principal, dean, dean’s assistant, counselor, secretary, nurse, five teachers, one maintenance employee, five custodians), and $225,000 for utilities, a total annual cost of $982,500, for the first four years of operation and increasing thereafter.

The necessity for required additional personnel is questionable, especially the administrative positions and number of custodians. Isn’t education supposed to be the priority?

The utility cost of $225,000 for 150,000 square feet additions is illogical when for the third high school the estimate was only $400,000 for 450,000  square feet.

The total for two additions was $1. 97 million annually making the cost for operating additions nearly as much as operating costs for a third high school, which they estimated at $2.03 million.

It came out in discussion that the estimates for the third high school did not include costs for extracurricular activities,(sports, band, etc.) or busing. This presentation was simply another attempt by the administration to push for a third high school, by exaggerating the operating costs for additions and underestimating the costs for the third high school.

A second presentation by Tom Chapman, bondsman and PMA, financial advisers, was what effect further bonding would have on tax rates. The presentation is available on Oswego308.org under Board Docs, June 13 meeting.

All of the pages contain the note, "Preliminary, Subject to Change."  Their assumptions assume the equalized assessd valuation will decrease for the next three years but then increase with new construction, which may be optimistic. The tax rate during the next few years for various amounts of borrowing, ranging from $10 million to $140.5 million, is 6.41 percent for the least borrowing to 6.96 percent at the high amount of borrowing.

Last year’s tax rate was 5.84 percent so there would be an increase in property taxes for any additional borrowing. It was not pointed out that bond and interest is not capped by the Property Tax Evaluation Limitation Law so the total tax increase can be more than 5 percent which was experienced last year.

Realistically, the school district cannot afford any additional building because it has not been able to pay for the operating expenses the last two years, which is evidenced by borrowing $10 million in Tax Anticipation Warrants each year.

Last week’s Ledger had questionable enrollment numbers. It stated the enrollment was up nearly 2,000 since 2008. This is not correct because Supt. Dr. David Behlow stated to the Illinois Legislature late in 2006 that the enrollment was 15,800 and a headcount report total 03/30/2011 was 16,779, leaving open space for 719 additional high school students.

The superintendent was quoted as expecting another 400 students total next year which would make the total approximately 7,200 not 7,400 as was printed in the Ledger.

Third high school advocates are at every school board meeting; let your voices be heard!

Leland Hoffer, Oswego