The Oswego 308 School District is considering the addition of a sales tax referendum for the future that may have some homeowners breathing a little sigh of relief.
The proposed sales tax would help to spread out the tax burden and help the school district to pay back outstanding bonds more quickly, said Board member Mike Scaramuzzi, who heads the Finance and Advisory committee with fellow board member BrentLightfoot.
The Finance Advisory committee previously discussed how the district might go about refinancing bond debt to help reduce costs for the district and homeowners, but found few solutions.
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“There is additional cost associated with any restructuring,” said Scaramuzzi. “There may have been some short-term tax relief, but longer taxpayer pain.”
From that conversation arose the idea of an additional sales tax on goods purchased within the Oswego 308 school district boundaries, which Scaramuzzi said would be about one cent.
Superintendent Matthew Wendt said the example the school is considering is a one cent tax on every dollar of approved sales, but it could be a quarter or even half of a cent.
As Scaramuzzi said, "The less they [the homeowner] spend, the less they're taxed."
Wendt said he knew of at least two counties in southern Illinois that have been successful with a sales tax. His previous school district in Ankeny, Iowa also had experience with a sales tax.
In an article on the Ankeny School Site from 2010, the Ankeny school district used their one-cent state-wide sales tax to build the district's ninth elementary school.
The district also planned to use the sales tax generated revenue to complete the renovation of one of the other elementary schools, install artificial turf at both high schools to reduce future maintenance costs among other projects.
Although it is considered a school district tax, Wendt said the tax would be in affect throughout Kendall County.
"It is my understanding that school district boards of education partner and collaborate to determine if the sales tax will be brought before the voters throughout a county," said Wendt. "However, if a school district enrolls more than 50 percent of the K-12 students within a county, that school district's board of education has the single authority to determine if a referendum is brought before the voters of a county."
In Kendall County, District 308 enrolls more than 50 percent of the K-12 students, so the Board of Education would have the authority to bring forward a sales tax referendum to be voted upon by county residents.
"If the referendum is approved, all school school districts within the county would financially benefit from sales tax revenue," said Wendt.
“Conversation is the first step,” said Wendt. He said that the topic could be approached possibly later in the spring or summer if the board wanted to move forward.
The Oswego 308 school district would plan to have the sales tax apply only to certain purchases.
“We’re looking at a sales tax… specifically targeted at debt reduction, bond payoff, future brick and mortar,”said board member Brent Lightfoot. “We’re not looking at a sales tax to pay general operating funds. It’s money that would be well spent.”
Wendt added that Ankeny used the sales tax revenue only on paying down current bond debt that would help to reduce taxes on homeowners and businesses and new construction and remodeling.
Some aspects of the tax would still need to be ironed out, like which types of sales would be taxed. Wendt said he knew, for example, that groceries, prescription drugs and farm equipment/supplies have been made exempt from current approved sales tax referendums in Illinois.
"For School District 308, it is imperative we seek short and long-term plans to reduce property taxes, yet fulfill the obligation of providing a quality education within needed school district facilities," said Wendt. "However, it is important that we initially collaborate with school district superintendents and boards of education throughout Kendall County prior to advancing this opportunity to voters."
For the sales tax to be approved, the school board would have to send the idea to referendum. The earliest election that could include the sales tax on the ballot would be the March 2014.
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Unions in concept is a good idea. To do a job with train professionals and get paid more through contracts, we see this in all Efficient Business transactions. But, how we have seen Unions do the very same things as the school district has done is the problem. Get people on the membership roles and collect greater dues and that is the issue. The issue is the lost ability to do the job better than an untrained professional in the same spot and want absurd amounts of money. Also.. Be careful about the question of certifications. Certifications have been overused for some time now. We do not need individuals to be certified Environmental Engineers to take out trash, we need to simplify life once again and get to basics. That's the issue.
Don't go after the workers for the issue because they are trying to provide for their families. But Don't bankrupt the system by creating sweetheart pensions and not funding those pensions. We have solutions here and we need to get leaders to do our ideas. It's called service and the ones on the school board and non-elected staff (administrators) have found a way to just bilk the system and lock it all up.
These people are working to do good work and be punctual for work. But let's not kid ourselves, are they employed in the whole year with a full load of work or do they (the secretaries and janitors) have serious downtime when the school year is up? What can be done? And how many school teachers take up part-time, non-school related jobs, after the school year, when getting paid handsomely from their teaching jobs? Does this not take away from other areas that people are looking to do work that could be Union jobs? Last time I understood it, that was a no-no in the Unions. Solution: Make sure those non-teaching positions, that occupy school the entire year, have viable work. Make contracts with the teachers Unions to prohibit any summer, non-school related paying jobs. It can be done but will a school board take it up or you?
I do know lots of teachers who have spent their summers pursuing advanced degrees, taking professional development classes and revamping curriculum and familiarizing themselves with the ever present changes in the landscape of education. I also know many teachers who worked second jobs starting out. In really high paying jobs like working as a server in a restaurant so that they could make their rent and student loan payments. There's no union problem there. As to down time -- don't know how much time you've spent in a school lately, but I have yet to encounter custodial staff who are enjoying a leisurely day at work. Talk about a thankless and unending job! lol
And FWIW, large multinational companies don't "usually" go bust. That's how they become "large."
The company I worked for that was outsourced were all union, except management. You'll never find more dedicated hard working people. I was informed just after X-mas that their bringing the company back to the states. Seems China couldn't match our standards and their sales have taken a nose dive.
The district has built 2 new additions that from what I've been told we have to go to the tax-payers to even open them. There will be few tax-payers voting for another increase, we've been tax enough. Living here all my life and I can't sell because my taxes exceed what the principle payment would be on my house (3% down) each month. There comes a point when enough is enough, I'm not alone on this!
Do you work for a union?? Many Unions do not allow their members to be involved in other jobs that might or will interfere with other unions that could lose work. I've known teachers that took up painting homes for summers or landscape projects as a business and both of these areas have union members that are losing out on work to get paid for. And these are just some of the examples. Sorry for responding so late.