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Overwhelming majority of tax hikes failed

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Illinois

Two-thirds of the Illinois school districts seeking more money were turned down by voters in elections this week, an outcome that at least one advocate interpreted as a call for more state support.

School districts asked for permission to raise taxes in 69 elections Tuesday. They won only 22, according to figures released Wednesday by the Illinois State Board of Education.

In 29 referendums where districts sought to borrow money for construction or other expenses, voters approved only 12.

In all, 65 percent of the referendums failed, following a trend in recent years. Last fall, 75 percent of 51 tax questions failed.

Meanwhile:

A group wanting to change how schools are funded by raising state income taxes and lowering property taxes released a poll Wednesday showing two out of three voters back the concept, but Gov. Blagojevich was unswayed.

The survey of 600 voters paid for by the Service Employees International Union and the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability found that 69 percent favored the plan and 21 percent opposed it.

The March 2-6 poll was conducted by Lake Snell Perry Mermin & Associates, a Washington D.C. political consulting firm.

I’ll post the entire poll later today.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Apr 7, 05 @ 6:40 am

Comments

Education is paramount, and many districts are underfunded BUT some of these salaries and budgets are incredibly high.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Apr 7, 05 @ 7:57 am
How about a ‘luxury tax’ for school districts? Springfield sets a ceiling on how much a local district can levy in taxes. Any amount over that ceiling is ‘taxed’ by Springfield, at say, 60%. The 60% is then given to a poor school district.

It is kind of like Major League Baseball does with the rich big market teams to keep the smaller market teams with less revenue competative.

This will prevent the rich districts from crying poor mouth and raising taxes on the property owners in its district, further widening the ‘education funding gap’ and ‘teacher compensation gap’ in Illinois.

Everyone should like it: teachers unions, downstate lawmakers, overtaxed property owners….The only ones that would object would be the trustees of the richest school districts, but they would definitely be in the minority here.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Apr 7, 05 @ 8:30 am
High School District 211 in Palatine/Schaumburg Townships was one of the minority of districts to pass a rate increase despite the fact that D-211 is one of the highest paying districts in the state; its teachers average more than $80G.

Comment by FightforJustice Thursday, Apr 7, 05 @ 10:31 am
“Two-thirds of the Illinois school districts seeking more money were turned down by voters in elections this week, an outcome that at least one advocate interpreted as a call for more state support.”

It’s amazing how rejection of new taxes by the voters can be spun as a call for higher taxes.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Apr 7, 05 @ 1:04 pm
Illinois voters have clearly rejected any efforts to increase taxes.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Apr 7, 05 @ 2:56 pm
Leyden township, outside of Rosemont is too high on taxes

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Apr 7, 05 @ 3:10 pm
Most voters, from what I’ve read, voted down measures that would have increased property taxes yet again, or local taxes. Mainly property taxes.

What SEIU and others are proposed and what’s currently a bill in the house rules committee (HB 750) would increase state income tax and reduce property taxes at the same time. It would hugely increase funding for education across the state.

I have a child in school, and I know people in other districts statewide. Because local referendums don’t get passed, either good school programs are getting cut or parents are supposed to cough up lots more money to get their kids in it - sports, etc.. Some can’t afford it.

As far as teachers salaries are concerned, most of them, the good ones, don’t make enough to put up with what they do, be expected to mold our children for the future and meet the expectations placed on them.

Comment by Tessa Thursday, Apr 7, 05 @ 5:11 pm
The luxury tax concept sounds interesting… Definitely would be something to explore. Where can I learn more?

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Apr 7, 05 @ 10:49 pm
I just wanted to note that the results of this poll aren’t entirely accurate. I’ve been scanning some last articles for my research paper and I ran across one that talked about this survey. Question 31 on the fourth page mentions a hypothetical 2% increase in income taxes that respondents must decide if they favor or oppose, and to what degree. If that were to be in reality 5% from the 3% we’re at now, that would affect how they would understand the situation. Polling is a complicated business and when you’re a politician with a bill and you’ve got your people paying for the poll, you know there’s something fishy going on. *sniff* yup, I knew I smelled something.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Apr 26, 05 @ 6:17 am