D128 Referendum Will Determine The Future Outcome Of Schools And Community: Letter

PALOS HEIGHTS, IL—The future of Palos Heights School District 128 is on the ballot November 3, and the outcome will determine the future of our community. We had the honor of serving as members of the Palos 128 School Board for 8 years, most of that time as vice president and president. The opportunity to positively impact our kids and our community was a responsibility we took seriously. Each decision that we undertook was made with the fundamental question of what was best for the students.

We worked to support the best programming and opportunities for our students while maintaining a fiscal responsibility to the taxpayers of the community. Throughout our tenure on the board, we understood that even with a vigilant eye on finances, the clock was ticking on our funding running short. The funding model for schools in Illinois does not benefit our district, so our district’s revenue is almost entirely dependent on property taxes.

Our teachers, staff, and students have made our schools excellent, and the community is growing, bringing 28 percent more students to the district over the last 10 years. With 200 more students comes the need for more teachers, paraprofessionals, and related services staff—our funding does not flex to meet these needs. The Board has shared these realities with the community many times over the years with the assistance of Dr. Rob Grossi, financial adviser to the district.

We invite each and every one of you to attend a meeting to learn more about the referendum, and to have all of your questions answered—meetings are offered at Independence Junior High on Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. Information is also available at YesD128 Campaign and on the Palos Dist. 128 website.

As taxpayers in Palos 128, we pay the lowest percentage of our taxes to elementary schools among all the surrounding south suburban districts. The district has never previously asked for an increase in taxes. Unfortunately, we have reached a point where we need to do just that.

The opportunity we enjoyed to serve the district is now available to each voter of the D128 community. Your vote of YES to the referendum on the November 3rd ballot is your opportunity to ensure the continued excellence of our school district, and we all know that our schools are a representation of our community as a whole.

When our schools are excellent, we attract and retain excellent teachers. When our schools are excellent, our community’s reputation and property values are excellent. When our schools are excellent, our children are prepared for futures we cannot even imagine. When our schools are excellent, we can all share a sense of pride in the place where we live, and in the ways we support one another.

While paying more money in taxes is not anyone’s favorite thing to do, on November 3rd, voting YES to the referendum is absolutely the right thing to do.

Amy Lyons and Bill Grady

Palos Heights