Hamilton Superintendent Joe Yurko said the state of Illinois has shorted the school district about $600,000 over the last four years. He said that's why the district needs to increase its education fund tax rate by $0.60 to $2.95.Yurko said the increase should generate an extra $393,000/year in the education fund, which pays for day-to-day operations, including faculty and staff salaries and classroom expenses.
"That addresses both the structural problem and allows us to begin to rebuild our fund balances," said Yurko. "(That's) integral to the state of Illinois finding us a healthy school district."
The increase in the education fund tax rate is on the April 7 ballot. Yurko said without the money, the district would have to continue to dip into its reserves.
"Here in Hamilton, we are going to spend into our working cash this year," said Yurko. We have not let bonds (and) we have not extended additional costs to the taxpayer. So we feel this is the most honest and straightforward way to address the problem the state of Illinois has caused for us."
Yurko said the district has done its best to hold down spending while facing the state cuts. So he said it is not going to start adding expenses if the tax increase is approved by voters.
He said it should take 5-6 years to restore the lost state funding, barring no additional cuts like a recently-proposed 2.5% reduction in state aid.
"Those are the types of things we can't plan for," said Yurko. "Those are the kinds of things that are complete variables that are out of nowhere."
The group, Yes 4 Hamilton Schools, has led the way in supporting the tax increase. It held several public meetings to try to drum up community support.
If the increase is approved, the owner of a home valued at $100,000 would pay an extra $200 each year.
