Former District 115 School Board Member Ted Moorman offers us the fourth in our Opinion Series concerning the April 4th Bond Referendum. ParentsCare has not taken a position concerning the bond referendum, and the organization is not a political campaign for either side.
Read the first piece in our opinion series from Jeff Brincat
Read the second in our opinion series from Matt Montgomery
Read the third in our opinion series from Erik Carrier
While the admin and board gang are still pushing their referendum, the community goes away on spring break. I suspect the admin is hoping for a low level of voter participation while the community is distracted by other activities.
This bond referendum is a boondoggle of great proportions and is unnecessary and poorly timed.
D115 has substantial reserves that should be used for building maintenance and renovations before embarking on a massive building project, as both student headcount and performance metrics show a decline. The district should focus on student outcomes, not brick-and-mortar projects that do not immediately enhance and impact the student experience.
Finally, this is the worst possible time to float a major bond issue when 20-year bond rates for projects such as this are at historical highs (5.5-7.0%).
The community is still paying off the bonds from the last referendum and should not have to shoulder the burden of another bond issuance. The community is dealing with high rates of inflation, high property tax rates, and much uncertainty going forward. Pause the referendum for now and focus on students, not projects.
-Ted Moorman
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