Schools

Valley View Drops Tax Rate, Says State Not Doing Its Part

The Valley View school board met Monday and passed resolutions that will lower the amount of property taxes it requests and establish an advanced math course in both of its high schools.

The Valley View school board Monday made good on a promise it made in December to not burden area taxpayers more than it has to.

The board unanimously passed a resolution that will adjust the district’s final 2010 tax levy allocation so that taxpayers pay no more than they did last year.

The board, in December,  before it had to request its final levy in March.

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By state law, school districts must submit a tax levy to the county clerk by the last Tuesday in December. That 6.3 percent request would have represented an $8 million increase from last year’s extension.

“People asked us (back in December) how we could guarantee (we would drop the rate to zero) and this is that guarantee,” said board member Rick Gougis.

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The board’s ability to drop the rate down to zero is due largely to a. According to House Bill 5289, the district would be allowed to expand the timeframe for paying back debt from 20 years to 25 years. It would also allow the district to minimize what type of role taxpayers play during a time of fiscal recession for the district.

The bill passed both the state House and Senate in early January but still awaits signature from Gov. Pat Quinn,

Valley View had a lobbyist tracking the legislation and Board President Steven Quigley said he will be heading to Springfield today to talk to the governor’s office about Quinn signing the bill.  

The bill went hand in hand with the district’s attempt to restructure its long-term debt in an attempt to avoid burdening taxpayers with more strife during economic times.

“Essentially, it’s like having a more manageable car payment,” said Gary Grizaffi, the district’s assistant superintendent for administrative services.

State IOU

Board members were also briefed on the amount of money owed to the district by the state.

According to Grizaffi, the state still owes Valley View $8.29 million in unpaid bills, most of which is tied to either special education or transportation funds.

The $8.29 million figure is , but down from the .

“The state is not doing their end of the deal,” Quigley said. “The smaller items like early childhood block grants, which are $30,000 to $40,000, we can live with that (not being paid by the state). But when they are requiring us with all these mandates (for special education programs) and not coming up with the money, that is really putting the burden on school districts—and not just Valley View but all school districts throughout the state.”

Advanced Calculus Course

The board voted unanimously to establish a college level match course in both Bolingbrook and Romeoville high schools. The resolution had previously been tabled after questions arose regarding whether the program would have contributed to a lack of parity between Bolingbrook and Romeoville students.

The new class will cater to a select group of students who participated in a pilot mathematics program at , which began four years ago. Those students, because of their advanced math skills, need another upper level math class during their senior year of high school because they would be two years ahead in their mathematics instruction.

The district will offer open enrollment for all students who are eligible for a senior level math course.


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