School Sales Tax

The revenue from the countywide sales tax will help to pay the debt off, but that will not roll in before the summer when repairs are most needed.

This month voters in Prairie Central approved a referendum allowing the school district to borrow $38 million for necessary facility upgrades, including a new centralized elementary school in Fairbury. That means the current Prairie Central Primary West elementary school in Chenoa will close, as well as two others in Chatsworth and Fairbury.

The new sales tax takes effect July 1. Earning around 53% of the vote, the referendum was one of several factors contributing to an increased voter turnout compared to previous municipal elections.

The Twin City school districts have added transparency dashboards on their websites to show where funding would be spent if the new sales tax is approved April 1.

The Bloomington-Normal branch of the NAACP held an election forum on Saturday that included the candidates for the municipal election on April 1, as well as information on the proposed countywide school sales tax referendum.

A vast majority of school districts in McLean County have formally endorsed asking voters for a countywide sales tax to support schools.

The Unit 5 and District 87 school boards and several other districts in McLean County have voted to put a sales tax referendum on the April 1 ballot. The proposed 1% sales tax would raise money for school facilities, school resource officers, and mental health programming.

The District 87 and Unit 5 school boards will decide Wednesday whether to ask voters for a 1% sales tax increase to help pay for school facility repairs, additions, renovations and other priorities. If approved, the question would go on the April 1, 2025 ballot.