Bloomington-Normal school superintendents say they would likely have to increase borrowing to pay for facilities projects that need to be completed for their districts if the proposed school sales tax referendum fails on April 1.
David Mouser, District 87 superintendent, and Kristen Weikle, Unit 5 superintendent, answered questions from residents about the tax referendum at an event Tuesday hosted by the McLean County League of Women Voters at the Bloomington Public Library.
School administrators throughout McLean County have said their districts would seek property tax relief if voters approve the 1% increase in the sales tax rate. Both Mouser and Weikle said their districts' costs would go up, but did not say whether they would seek to increase property taxes.
Unit 5
“If we had to borrow $52 million to take care of the needs in the next five years, our taxpayers would be paying $10 million in interest alone,” Weikle said.
The $52 million price tag for Unit 5 comes from an outdated fire alarm system, a need for more classrooms and other needed facilities improvements.
“Those are expenses that we're going to have to have,” said Weikle. “And so if we don't get enough funding, you know, for those needs, then we will likely have to issue bonds.”
Unit 5 also has utilized grants as another way to gain some extra funding, but Weikle said there are not enough grants out there to pay for $52 million.
“So then we have to look at, OK, what are some other options?” she said. “So, this was one of the options that we had talked about as a school board and school leadership.”
Weikle also ruled out cuts to mental health services in the event the referendum fails. Unit 5 already has psychologists, social workers and counselors at their schools and would like to add more if the referendum passes.
“But we would not be looking at making cuts to those school resource officers," she said. "For us, they really do a great job of building relationships with students and staff."
District 87
Mouser said District 87 would continue to be “very reliant” on property owners if the referendum fails to pass. The Bloomington-based school district has HVAC, roof and other age-related expenses on the horizon.
“As we look at how this can play out down the road, I think it's just the increase in the number of bonds and loans that would need to be taken out to do the work that's going to be necessary,” he said.
McLean County voters rejected a sales tax referendum in 2014, when the funding could only be applied to school facility improvements.
Mouser said the expanded list of possible uses for the revenue, such as student mental health and school safety, might make the difference this time around.
“I think all of us agree we want safe schools. I think it makes it more palatable," Mouser said. "It's something that people get to make a decision on on April 1, and we're just trying to kick out information to make sure people are informed.”
Department of Education cuts
The United States Department of Education has faced threats from cuts to an outright dissolution in the opening weeks of the Trump Administration.
It would take an act of Congress to dissolve the department and public school funding mostly comes from state and local governments. Still, early efforts in the new administration along with a different approach to education from Trump’s education secretary nominee Linda McMahon could spell change for schools.
Both superintendents said they prefer to focus on what they can control.
“I find it very hard to think that the United States would not continue to send money for our special education students, right? I just don't think we would do that to kids in our country,” Weikle of Unit 5 said. “So maybe that's naive or optimistic, I don't know, but at this point, I think it's just too premature for me to really speculate.”
“We'll pivot if we have to, but as of right now, I'll be honest with you, maybe I should be more concerned about it, but my focus is local," said Mouser.
