By 1.64 percent of the vote, Glenbard Township voters have approved District 87’s request for $183 million in additional tax revenue. This budget expansion will allow the school district to make transformative improvements to their four Glenbard high school facilities(Glenbard North, East, South, and West).
After a fortnight of waiting for ballots to be counted after Election Day, the proposition passed by a margin of 404 votes. In total, over 24,000 residents voted on this measure. Only 20 percent of registered DuPage County voters cast ballots in this year’s primary, down 3 percent from 2022.
Glenbard high schools are all over a half century old and all require a plethora of maintenance and updates to keep up with newer facilities. Over the next 10 years, the district aims to construct more secure entrances, upgrade classroom and science labs, create common spaces, relocate student support services, add multi-use spaces, improve fine arts facilities, expand cafeterias, and relieve congestion at all four facilities. Additions are also planned at West, North, and East campuses.
The district’s superintendent, Dr. David Larson, announced that construction is set to begin next month into the summer, and larger campus projects are still in the planning stage.
Mail in ballots were a significant percentage of total ballots cast and ended up turning the tide from a dead heat tie to a significant lead in favor of the referendum. Vote-by mail ballots were around twice as likely to be affirmative. Some are using this disparity to cast doubt on the validity of the election.
Users on social media, including a Facebook page tied to the organization votenod87, have falsely suggested that the mail in ballots counted after March 19. were not legitimate. One post says that “the old adage ‘something smells’ holds true as the results update and are reviewed. Oh the irony that results from early voting and Election Day show a resounding NO vote to this referendum effort.”
Many township residents criticized this proposal’s cost and opposed a tax hike. DuPage County residents pay the second highest median property tax rate in a state whose property tax rate is already the second most expensive in the nation. The county’s average home values are the highest in Illinois at 60 percent above the state average. District 87 has lower operating expenses per student than peer districts and tax rates than what would be expected based on the municipality’s overall assessed property value.
The district’s tax rate has fallen by 36 cents since 2015 and promise that their tax rate will remain below what it was a decade ago. Use this tax estimate calculator provided by District 87, to estimate your household’s annual tax payment increase in 2025.
Funds from the referendum will be combined with $129 million from the district’s operating budget for an expected spending of $312 million over the next decade.
