Vote NO.Live within your means like the rest of us.I don't get a raise because i haven't had one in a long time.I'm sure there's waste in that budget somewhere.Why must us taxpayers always get screwed because you need more money.Learn how to budget your funds.You think some seniors can give up that much income.I bet you don't care as long as you get yours.Makes me sick.

The taxpayers have already voted NO on this issue twice. How many times are they allowed to put it on the ballot?

I completely agree. Enough already. Many of us are already on the verge of loosing our houses due to tax increases. How many can the average to low income family endure already!!!!! No.......Means.......NO

Not to belabor this point but SD67 will continue to ask voters for a tax increase until one is passed. They indicate that cuts have been made, programs have been dropped, and the tax base is decreasing due to reduced home values, reassessments and losses due to Avon and Kraft property devaluation. As the tax base goes down the tax rate must increase to get the SAME. SD67 has done this for 20+ years but is now at the point where the maximum tax rate must increase to get the SAME and maintain the quality of education expected by SD67 taxpayers.
Experienced staff members with advanced degrees usually provide the stability this district has needed over the past 8 years of superintendent changes. So until these staff members retire, reducing costs further is only a wish but not a reality.

80% of this tax increase, like ALL local taxes, goes to pay salaries and benefits. Regardless of economic conditions, performance, or anything, government employees will get their raises and pensions no matter what. But pensions and salaries will keep taking a larger share if we don't stop feeding the beast!

Just read that Kraft is vacating the property on Golf between Waukegan west to Harlem. When this property is reassessed at a predictable lower property value The Cook County Assessor will reduce taxes for Kraft or new owners. The assessor will then shift the tax burden to the remaining properties in the district as SD67 is entitled by law to last year's revenue plus a cost of living increase.
I understand SD67 is at their maximum tax rate, without a tax rate increase, the district revenue will be substantially reduced.

Don, Maybe you should read the Patch story at http://niles.patch.com/articles/mcgrath-auto-may-fill-kraft-property-in-morton-grove that indicates that McGrath Auto Group is in negotiations to build on that very site. Since auro dealerships generate large sale tax dollars, it would go a long way toward increasing dist 67 income.

With SD 67 having the highest elementary schools salaries in Illinois at $90,367.00 (http://schools.chicagotribune.com/), it's pretty clear where our hard earned tax dollars are going. Its not for the children but to a district with out of control spending and fiscal miss-management. With the union contract expiring this June, I say vote NO until the board can demonstrate that they have the spine to put an end to this fiasco. Don India look down your street there are at least 3 houses in or going into foreclosure. Within a 3 block radius of my house there are 8 homes some already empty. The tax payers of this community can not afford more taxes! Especially to support salaries and benefits that are far beyond the reach of many of the area residences. I wish I could work for 9 months and have a salary of 90K plus an healthy pension waiting when I decide to "cash in". Again enough is enough. SD 67 live within your means!

Does anyone else think it is odd that there are no vote yes signs out? No door to door campaigning? No open houses? I'm beginning to think that the district is trying to sneak this past in a minor election.

It would never have a chance in a normal election as evidenced by the past two attempts.

I wouldn't be surprise if the supporters are holding secret meetings and making sure that they all show up to vote without calling attention to the issue so that all of the people that don't support the issue (majority of MG) forget about it.

Good strategy on their part to pass something the majority of the community opposes.

I guess we do live in chicago.

Also, nothing on the district website reminding people to vote, etc. That Vote Yes website is also void of any info:

http://www.golfkids67.org/www.golfkids67.org/Welcome.html

These people are either completly incompetent or purposely trying to keep turnout as low as possible. No other explanation for the referendum advocacy group's actions.

The only thing that might bring the turnout is the silly drama in the action party. The district must be hating that right now as it is calling attention to the election.

I am now seeing some signs posted on lawns reminding people to vote NO for the upcoming referendum. Maybe that will help get out the vote and kill this thing finally once and for all. I also hear that a pro-referendum person was caught by police removing one of the signs by Harlem and Shermer without permission and a report or citation was filed - Shame on you! I have also been contacting everyone I know to get them out to vote against this. Even my children who are of voting age will be escorted by me to the voting booth to vote NO. Some of my neighbors who have children in the district will vote NO because they just cant afford the taxes.

District 67 Salary:

http://www.suntimes.com/data/14314316-666/database-search-for-illinois-teacher-and-administrator-salaries.html?appSession=809361137923488

If they are unhappy to work 9 months with their salary..that when they retire we will be paying 70-80% of until they pass, then find somewhere else to work. If they are whining work a 12month job where some people are not making high 5 or low 6 figure incomes! Selfish teachers..not surpised.

Look at the salaries of those teachers coming close to retirement in the Suntimes link. Those coming close to retirement are getting large raises (10%) from 2010 to 2011. I would like to see 2012 when published. That's why the state wants to pass the pensions back to the district. The districts drive up the salaries just prior to retirement then throw the liability over the fence to the state. The whole think reeks of rigged system. Taxpayers of SD 67 time to draw a line in the sand and voteNO!

Vote Yes - I moved to Morton grove 5 years ago because the school districts have a great reputation. I have children in the public schools. If we don't maintain the high standards that the district currently provides how do you expect to maintain Morton Grove as an appealing option for future home buyers. For me, a small increase in my property taxes is a sure investment in maintaining the value of my home while at the same time supporting great educations for our children - you know, the future citizens of Morton Grove...

The high taxes in the area are already impacting home values in a negative way. I voted no!

Consider this a warning to anyone who removes signs regarding the referendum, you do so at your own legal risk!

Salaries are the highest in the state but I'm told the academic performance of the district is around 25th. So I propose to cut the bloated salaries down to 25th in the state and lower the taxes of everyone. May be we should have a referendum to decrease the Disctrict 67 tax levy in next election.

Mr. Eldorado

Want to see how stressed the tax payers are in this community - View the link below. There are hundreds of properties going into or are in foreclosure:

http://ilfls.com/free/search.php?city%5B%5D=Morton%20Grove&date_field=issue_date&Submit=1

Sure lets raise taxes more what harm could that cause?

It is good to read and understand all sides before going to the polling place to vote.
1. I do not think that the 2 Dans thought that they would hold a primary to help SD67 pass the referendum. Since all SD67 needs is +1 vote over 50% to pass the referendum. Not 50% of REGISTERED voters, each vote in a primary actually counts for more of the percentage of votes then other elections. With the snow starting, few voters will go out and vote - will help SD67 or hurt its chances of passing? Probably help it.
2. I did read that McGrath is interested in building within the Kraft property but that will take time. In between Kraft leaving and McGrath and others arriving this property will be assessed at a lower value. Also I read into this as MG again opening another TIF district within SD67 and freezing the tax base.
3. Also, SD67 gets no direct benefit to sales taxes as school district revenue comes from real estate taxes.
4. Until the School Board and the teachers union sit down and negotiate, the contract stands and is enforceable. I still believe that the teachers will be part of the total solution and not the problem of the financial future of SD67.

Don if this referendum passes and puts more money in the school districts budget. That will be a great negotiating tool for the teachers union. Just remember they the union probably gave a lot of money to the pro-referendum. They are going to want to be thanked in some way for getting the referendum passed. Money always helps. If I remember,Don India, you were President of the school board when the teachers were given these high pay increases.

The tax payers have spoken again. The referendum is defeated 2 to 1.

Jeff:
People, I’m glad that we soundly defeated this referendum! Why this increase is unfair? - Very simple, here is an example. When I bought my house back in 1995 for $248K the property taxes were $2,900. Today the house was estimated at around $330K, but taxes has been increased more than 2.6 times to $7,500. Recently we had new huge increase that predominantly went to the schools and districts.

The writers like Donald India will never stop, for them it’s never enough.
But our opponents more or less organized, and we have to do the same things. We agreed on a main goal, let’s put our action were our words are. Let’s have something like a committee with the knowledgeable members who can share valuable information (about expenses, waist, wrongdoing, etc.). Let’s create a web side when all such info would be available, let’s do a real work before the next similar referendum. We can always contact senior citizen, so that they can vote absentee, we can put more signs, we can talk to our neighbor, etc.

If we will do all these we will never be defeated!

You also have the blood sucking high school bleeding us dry. They make sd 67 look like amateurs.

My taxes in 1988 were $2,200. Now they are close to 10K. I hire lawyers to fight my taxes on my home and commercial property when necessary. The commercial property was recently lowered by 10K and my home was lowered also. I invite all tax payers in SD 67 to look at the possibility of using the system to your advantage and get your taxes lowered. Look into the LHOE deduction (if it is still available). That one lowered your taxes if your income was below certain brackets. By the way the next shoe to drop is the Governors speech today - Cutting more funding for education. Unions you are the solution to this mess. Take pay and benefit cuts (especially your pensions) and maybe the tax payers will be more responsive to education spending direct to the students and not the bloated salaries and benefits.