The Delavan-Darien School District is once again asking the community for its support. On Nov. 8, a referendum question will be on the ballot asking district property owners to allow the district to exceed state-imposed revenue limits by $3.8 million for non-recurring purposes for operational costs.
If successful, the property tax increase would begin during the 2023-24 school year and end after the 2026-27 school year. The estimated increase on property taxes is $39 per $100,000 of property value in the first year and is expected to decrease for the following three years. The stated purpose for the referendum is for operational costs to maintain current class sizes, continue to employ School Resource Officers, and support the district’s curriculum and instruction.
The community approved a $2.8 million referendum that began during the 2019-20 school year and is set to expire as this one would begin. The reason property taxes would increase despite the new referendum replacing one that is ending is the extra $1 million the district is asking for this time.
According to the district’s website, the district has used the money it gained from the last referendum to keep the promises it made leading up to it by investing in the children’s education while remaining fiscally responsible.
While there have been some small increases in state aid, the state still requires local districts to go to referendum if they need more funding. Administrator Jill Sorbie said the state has set $10,000 per student as the bare minimum districts should receive in state aid. This district only receives $10,036 per student, a figure that lags way behind what neighboring districts get.
“The state has not come through with funding schools even though districts continue to explain they are not able to make ends meet,” Sorbie said.
Sorbie said the most recent state budget gave nothing to the revenue cap for school operational costs and the state instead advised districts to rely on federal COVID funding to fill the gap. If that is not enough, the state requires districts to go to referendum for permission to exceed the revenue limit.
For the full story, see the print edition of the Delavan Enterprise.
