Referendums on March Ballot

School districts throughout Illinois are seeking voter approval on referendums on the March 19 general primary election ballot. Items up for a vote include tax increases, bond issues, countywide sales tax propositions, and a school consolidation measure.

School districts placing tax increases on the ballot include Aviston SD 21; Collinsville CUSD 10; Community Consolidated SD 46 in Grayslake; three separate proposals for operations/maintenance, educational, and transportation purposes for Dalzell SD 98; Metamora CUSD 1; two separate proposals for operations/maintenance and educational purposes for Olympia CUSD 16 in Stanford; Palos CCSD 118; Prospect Heights SD 23; and Tremont CUSD 702.

School districts known to be placing local bond issues before voters include:

• Avoca SD 27 in Wilmette, $89.8 million, to build and equip a new school building to replace Avoca West School Building, and alter, repair, and equip an existing building.
• Central CUSD 301 in Burlington, $195 million, to build and equip a new high school building.
• Fenton CHSD 100 in Bensenville, $65 million, to renovate, alter, and equip the Fenton High School building.
• Galena USD 120, $14.2 million, to build and equip a classroom addition, and alter, repair, and equip the Galena High School building.
• Glenbard THSD 87, $183 million, for renovations, including updates to security improvements, at four district high schools.
• Lockport THSD 205, $85 million, to alter, renovate, improve, and equip the site of Lockport High School Central Campus.
• Union Ridge SD 86 in Harwood Heights, $35 million, to make improvements to district buildings.
• Whiteside SD 115 in Belleville, $10.6 million, to build and equip an addition to Whiteside Elementary School.

There are five Countywide Sales Tax propositions on the ballot. Voters will decide on a countywide 1% tax increase for school facilities, school resource officers, and mental health professionals in Crawford, Fayette, Ford, Hancock, and Ogle counties.

One consolidation referendum on the ballot for voters in both the St. Anne CCSD 256 and St. Anne CHSD 302 districts is: “Shall an Optional Elementary Unit School District be created in the territory comprising St. Anne Community Consolidated School District No. 256 and St. Anne Community High School District No. 302, Kankakee County, State of Illinois, with the authority to levy taxes at the rate of: Education fund, K-8, 2.0%, 9-12, 2.0%, combined maximum, 4.0%; operations and maintenance fund, K-8, .375%, 9-12, .375%, combined maximum, .75%; transportation fund, K-8, .125%, 9-12, .125%, combined maximum, .25%; special education fund, K-8, .4%, 9-12, .4%, combined maximum, .8%, each upon all the taxable property of the district at the value thereof, as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue, be established?”

IASB will report results of school referenda and tax proposals after the March 19 consolidated election. To see historical information from past elections, visit the Finance Election data page on the IASB website.