Fellow Residents of District 86,
Vote NO! - D86 Referendum is wasteful, unaffordable and unethical plus $67.9 MILLION more reasons to vote NO.
(voter information - order absentee ballots - we need every vote!!)
Massive & Sudden Recognition of New $67.9 Million Liability
In late 2018, under the leadership of Baseball Bill Carpenter as the D86 Finance Chair and Superintendent Bruce Law, D86 posted a massive financial liability totalling $67.9 MILLION (see page 4 of annual D86 audit) to fund generous Post Retirement Employee Benefits. Yes - this amount alone could pay for all the pet projects.
Simple Question
How are taxpayers going to pay the $67.9 MILLION???
Simple Answer - the $67.9 MILLION will be paid for by future taxes and future tax increases!
The cost taxpayers will see is not just the wasteful $208 MILLION referendum (including interest) but also the newly released $67.9 MILLION liability from the overly generous pro-union Board and Superintendent Bruce Law.
While we're distracted - A new contract negotiation under the charge of Kathleen Hirsman (despite her past negotiating mistakes) is happening behind the scenes and with little transparency. This is a real liability for D86. Another contract and another tax increase is likely needed to fund the unsustainable teacher's contract without significant reform. Hirsman is up for re-election and supported by the Unions. She also led the HR committee which gave the Superintendent $50,000 in raises over the last 2 years, $40,000 of it granted without a performance review, spiking his pension. More will unfold on this issue which local media has yet to cover.
Past conservative Board members called out these hidden costs yet were heckled by the Teacher's Union and retired teachers sitting in the audience. Unfortunately the taxpayers must now pay the piper to the tune of $67.9 MILLION in future payments for former employees. C4CH witnessed the madness during these contract negotiations. Unfair to taxpayers.
Combine the $208 MILLION referendum and the $67.9 MILLION liability and we have an unaffordable tax situation and more damage to property values. A new teacher's union contract is coming in 2020.
UNION FIRST - STUDENTS AND TAXPAYERS LAST
$67.9 MILLION more reasons to vote NO! The reaction from the D86 Board was to cancel student sports and activities!! Huh??? What??? Yes take away the kids sports to pay for the unsustainable teacher's contract then also ask for $208M in a tax increase for capital projects. What repeatedly doesn't get mentioned as a result of this cut is the true cost of this ploy on D86 students and their futures. For many their only chance to attain a post secondary education is driven by their prowess in athletics and student activities. Many students get talent scholarships from the sports and activities the Board has cut. This Board is willing to steal a student's future to preserve adult jobs without affording the families a simple choice of an activity fee to separate their union politics from the kids future. Let's also not forget the safety RUSE (reference FSF).
UNFAIR, WASTEFUL AND UNAFFORDABLE.
Captain Obvious says the D86 Board must reinstate sports and activities immediately as Part 1 of a plan to protect families and students! There are $67.9 MILLION MORE reasons to Vote NO in addition to the $208 MILLION reasons in the wasteful spending!
We cannot trust Baseball Bill, Superintendent Bruce Law, or Kathleen Hirsman. They created a safety RUSE, hid a $67.9 Million liability, refused input from 17,000 voters and then unethically cut sports to intimidate voters. Unethical.
Vote NO! - Reset the D86 Referendum
Wasteful, Unaffordable and Unethical
(voter information - order absentee ballots - we need every vote!!)
Your Neighbors,
C4CH - Citizens for Clarendon Hills
Edward A. Corcoran
President