We moved into our current house in the Deerpath subdivision in 2007. One of the major reasons we chose this area was the Millburn school district. Known for its high test scores, low ratios and reputation for a quality education, we really felt like we were making the right decision. It turns out that the Millburn school district is now in serious financial trouble, ranked last in the state financially. The Board of Education has decided to run a referendum to try and get the schools back on the right track. The State of Illinois is already 2 payments behind to all schools in Illinois, so the board decided to try for a tax rate increase amount equal to the shortfall from the state which equates to a 73 cent rate hike ($744 additional tax for every $300k in home value).
As disappointed as I am with the decisions made by the board that led to this financial crisis and as unhappy as I will be with paying higher taxes (even though we already pay some of the highest taxes in the midwest), I have chosen to support the referendum because I fear what a future at Millburn looks like without it.
I am a member of the Millburn Referendum Committee and have created a website to inform the public about the referendum (http://citizensformillburndistrict24.com). I think it’s going to be a tough sell to the citizens of the district to pay higher taxes during this difficult economic climate, but I’ll do what I can to help support it.