Declining enrollment and increasing costs are the plague of rural school districts, especially in a broke state like Illinois. Taxpayers are in no mood for tax increases, especially in Illinois which has the second highest property tax rate in the country behind New Jersey. If a referendum is passed for a $20 million dollar building, our taxes would go up a minimum of 13%.
The board gives the impression that the school's interests take priority over the community's interest. However, the school is part of the community, not the other way around and the community's interest must come first. Even if renovation and rebuilding cost were similar, each community would prefer to keep their school buildings.
We urge the Fieldcrest Board of Education to reconsider its decision to build a 6-12 building at a new campus site. It is the public's opinion that it will be cheaper to renovate and will be better for the communities. Voters assume that the board was elected to represent their interest and want the board to stand behind that commitment.
The taxpayers should have the last say in the building issue. We don't want to waste taxpayer dollars by going through the motions of developing a building plan that will not pass a referendum. Now is the time to admit to that and develop a plan that the taxpayers will approve.