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Kane
County Chronicle 1-9-07
West
Aurora to seek tax increase.
AURORA – A 50-cent tax increase to shore up West Aurora
School District’s finances and address student growth will
be on the April 17 election ballot.
School board members on Monday voted to put the question on the
ballot.
“I believe we are asking for a modest increase that will allow us to
move forward,” School Superintendent James Rydland said.
The district projected a $1.9 million deficit for its 2006-07 fiscal
year. Board members approved the budget in June.
“Without a voter-approved rate increase, that deficit will swell to approximately
$2.9 million by 2008 and go even higher in future years,” Rydland
said.
A 50-cent tax increase would boost the district’s operational
tax rate to $3.53 per $100 of assessed valuation, from its current
$3.03 per $100 of assessed valuation.
The owner of a $100,000 home would pay an additional $166.67 next
year in taxes if the referendum was approved.
As proposed, the operational tax rate would remain at $3.53 through
2010.
A citizens committee has been formed to campaign for the referendum.
Chairing that committee is Debbie Nardone, president of the Fearn
Elementary School PTA in North Aurora.
One of Nardone’s concerns is overcrowding at Fearn. The proposed
tax increase would fund the cost of mobile classrooms to help ease
the overcrowding at Fearn.
“No parent wants to have mobiles, but no parent wants to have 30 kids
in a classroom,” Nardone said.
A recent study estimated that enrollment at Fearn would increase
from 636 students in 2006 to 656 in 2007 and 698 in 2008. Eventual
plans call for the school to get an eight-classroom addition.
Among 15 area school districts, West Aurora had the second lowest
operational tax in 2005. East Aurora had a lower tax rate at $2.91
per $100 of assessed valuation.
Residents have not approved an increase in the district’s
operational rate since 1988.
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