The Examiner U-46 News Feed

Public opposition directed at latest Dist. U-46 budget

By Seth Hancock
  After public opposition was expressed, the Board of Education in School District U-46 voted 6-0, board member Eva Porter was absent, on the Fiscal Year 2023 budget which is $5.9 million in deficit at its meeting on Monday, Sept. 26.
  The trend of increased spending along with declining enrollment will continue for an eighth straight year, enrollment projected to drop 2.3 percent from 36,049 to 35,202.
  Spending will rise by $35.6 million or 5.4 percent ($660.8 million to $696.4 million) and revenue by $28.2 million or 4.3 percent ($662.3 million to $690.5 million).
  Salaries and benefits, the largest expenditure, will rise 4.4 percent ($445.7 million to $465.5 million). The district will seek the largest property tax levy  allowed under the law with an $8.1 million increase, $324.6 million to $332.7 million.
  Under this budget, spending will have increased 62 percent and enrollment will have declined 13.5 percent since 2012 when expenditures were at $430 million and enrollment at 40,687.
  During public comments, seven people spoke against this budget noting the trends in spending and enrollment along with academic proficiency continuing to drop, U-46 schools showing proficiency numbers as low as 4 percent in some schools.
  Rick Newton said: “While academic proficiency remains at embarrassingly low levels and student enrollment decreases, for some reason the district and board feel they’re entitled to once again increase our taxes. What’s missing is accountability for our most pressing priority, that is our children’s education.”
  Linda Sabo read a letter from an anonymous U-46 teacher who advised parents to home school, noting not only fiscal mismanagement but also inappropriate books in the schools.
  “We work for the community when we partner with parents to teach quality academics. We work for the community when we strive for the best for each child,” Sabo read. “We do not work for the community when enrollment is down but ask taxpayers for more money. We do not work for the community when student achievement continues to plummet, yet we brush off families’ concerns and blame it on the pandemic.”
  In response, Superintendent Tony Sanders claimed the district isn’t spending enough because the state tells them so.
  “We still do not spend as much money as the state says we should be spending per pupil,” Sanders said.
  Dale Burnidge, director of financial operations, said the district has “had surplus fund balances” and larger than normal capital projects this year, most notably work to transition Bartlett’s Hawk Hallow from an elementary to a middle school.