The Pantagraph from Bloomington, Illinois • Page 6

The Pantagraph AG Thursday- Au9ust 29, 1996 i 11 'J District 87 budget OK'd; tax caps hit Pi -i -It ii 'J St 1 I 1 r. W7IA. Hum rtits i WW By JOHN BERRY Pantagraph staff Before passing a deficit budget Wednesday that is 8.2 percent larger than last year, District 87's school board mulled ways to deflect tax caps they claim are unfair and will bal-i loon their shortfall in the future. The board passed the $35 million budget, with its $113,000 deficit, shortly after berating state and coun-; ty politicians for trying to implement an "easy answer" to a complicated problem. Barry Weer, board president, said judging the budget increase the same I way you do a consumer operation doesn't give an accurate picture of how a school district operates, Despite the percentage of in-crease, Weer said the district still keeps its expenses well below the maximum amount the board could raise for this budget.

The increased local funding is needed to cover a decreasing state contribution, Weer said. Currently, the state's share of funding for District 87's budget has fallen below 20 percent. Just 20 years ago, the state funds made up about 50 percent of the district's total funding. The McLean County Board recent- 1 ly approved placing a measure on the November ballot giving county resi-'' dents the choice to place restrictions on county taxing bodies. If approved, District 87 annually could raise its tax levy by a maximum of 5 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower.

"The legislature was given a plan this spring that would fundamentally change the way schools are funded in Illinois. Instead, they took the politically expedient road and turned their backs on their responsibility," VWeer said. Board member Randy Berg called vfor the board to gather forces with its "friends in the community" to wage a tough battle to defeat the tax cap fjmeasure. "It is not in my nature to just sit by -and do nothing. We have held the line i.on increases.

Passing this referendum will quickly hamper our ability Sto deliver quality public education." Even more than the state's decline in the amount of money spent on funding education, board member Carole Ringer lamented that the district's fiscal future could be decided by county residents who live outside its borders. "At a time when Illinois needs statesmen, its elected officials are more interested in catering to special interests at the expense of children," Weer added in his criticism of state legislators. The board continued to argue that its land-locked status will hurt because it won't be able to grow and tap new revenue sources. "In general, districts with high mobility rates and growth are less likely to suffer from the punitive damages cause by tax caps," Weer said. Since the borders of many school districts in McLean County cross into neighboring counties, they will not be subject to tax caps unless the others also approve them.

Berg called on the board to use legal means to challenge the constitutionality of the caps if the referendum passes in November. "The way things are set up it is unfair. We don't have the one man, one vote protection set up in the (U.S.) Constitution," Berg said. The budget shortfall is a dramatic decrease from a $1.1 million shortfall projected earlier this year. Robert Meeker, assistant superintendent, said increases in state aid and a decision by the state to halt planned funding cuts due to property-value growth combined to whittle the projected deficit.

While saying the smaller deficit was good news, Meeker said he is concerned about the 8.2 percent increase in expenses, while revenues only increase 1.8 percent for the 1996-97 budget Meeker also said it is likely the board will have to raise a 5-cent levy to cover bonds used for repairs. The life-safety fund, which is separate from the education fund, is projected to have a $1 million deficit by the end of the 1996-97 school year on June 30. Weer said that the budget approval limits the district's flexibility in the amount of raise it can give its teachers. The teachers returned to school Wednesday without a contract YV4 WZ The PantagraphLOHI ANN COOK First day at school Veteran kindergarten teacher Martha Baxter welcomed Stevenson School students Wednesday. She said, "It's like molding Jell-O.

My goal is to teach respect for authority and for one another and to enhance manners and kindness until they know that, they won't learn ABC-1 23." Above, Baxter helped Maurey Hoeniges adjust to his first day at school. In establishing the ground rules for their school years, below, Baxter used red, yellow and green circles to indicate stop, yield and go in reference to talking. For many of the students, said Baxter, "School is their first experience with rules and authority." A loose tooth is nothing new in kinder garten. At left, Baxter checked one for Corey Wissmiller. 'r If 1 "l.ra.llJ"""" 1 1 4p iMvyb: fV- EWhr lr.v i board OKs referendum not give a proposed rate hike figure at the meeting; it is to be released later.

A similar plan was defeated by district voters in March with 498 "no" votes and 425 "yes" votes. Board member Tom Keever voted "no" on the question of a November referendum, saying that the board should take more time to sell the need for a bond issue to the communities and plan to be ready for the March 1997 election. However, Board President Marlin Donley said the November election offered a chance for a stronger turnout than the March 1997 primary since some people do not vote in -By SHIRLEY KNILANDS Pantagraph correspondent KEMPTON Voters in the Tri-t-Point school district will be asked Nov. 5 to approve borrowing $1.5 million to build a new addition to the -high school building at Cullom. The referendum was approved by "a 5-2 vote at a special meeting of the jboard Wednesday night at Kempton.

The proposed new addition would '-include seven classrooms and a cafeteria, and the plan calls for the 1898 "section of the Cullom building to be demolished. f. If voters approve, the increase would appear on tax bills paid in 1997. Superintendent Dan Wright did aA THRU CARG1LL HYBRID SEEDS TECHNOLOGY FESTIVAL THURSDAY, AUGUST 29 4 P.M.-8 P.M. LEXINGTON, IL Cargil Hybrid Seeds Production Facilities 14 mile East of Lexington, IL on Southeast corner of Town.

FESTIVAL EVENTS 1 Field Tours Featuring The Newest Corn Hybrids 1 Food Corn Bt SR IMI LL Hybrids From Around The World Come See The Newest Production Technologies GREAT PORK CHOP DINNER BROWN'S TOMATOES ARE HERE! RE SKI! TRUE VINE RIPE EXCELLENT FLAVOR! CANNING TOMATOES 7.00busheI We also have yellow (low acid) tomatoes and "Brandywine" ah old heirloom variety with flavor like Grandma used to grow! Also fresh from our Green Bell Peppers or 10.00 bushel Cucumbers, beets, fall squash and much more! MUNI MS SAMt As vAarl WIIM FREE DELlVERy SET UP MIN. PURCHASE OF $700 WITHIN 50 MILES Located at the South Edge of Hudson, IL on Broadway just north of BIoomington-Normal on 1-39 Hours: 9-5, Sun. 12-5 Phone: 309 726-1305.