If you were to apply for a high-limit credit card, you would not be surprised when the lender asked you to release your credit report and provide supplementary information related to your income and expenses, would you?
This is the way borrowing typically works. As a borrower, would you take offense if the lender asked for additional supporting documentation? Probably not, and you certainly wouldn't obstruct their efforts to obtain such documentation. This is because you are a responsible adult who understands that lenders must act as good stewards of their capital.
In that context, let's call the referendum on the $106,000,000 bond what it is: an application by the district to receive an enormous loan from taxpayers.
Viewing the bond referendum as such, Parents Care has advocated for taxpayers- the lenders- by respectfully asking the district- the borrowers- to provide documentation supporting their ability to borrow responsibly.
Perhaps we were naive, but we expected the district to jump at the opportunity to substantiate their arguments with material evidence publicly.
They did not. In fact, they have fought our attempts to obtain this information at every turn.
What has been even more peculiar is their attitude throughout this process. They did not simply fight our attempts to acquire this information; they expressed outrage. Worse yet, the superintendent has gone so far as to disparage the volunteers at Parents Care publicly.
This demonstrates a lack of respect for taxpayers and an underlying belief that they are entitled to our money.
It's a position more befitting of monarchs than public servants.
Yet, we must remind them: the administrative office on Waukegan road is not a castle, and we are not serfs whose time to tithe has come due.
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