A resolution against the one-percent sales tax referendum for all Vermilion County schools will be on the agenda for the Vermilion County Board February 14th meeting. The resolution against the referendum has been put forward by the County Board Health and Education committee.
Committee chairman Jerry Hawker stated that with no absolute guarantee that the school districts supporting this referendum would decrease property taxes if the referendum is passed, he could not support it. The general consensus of the committee was to place the resolution on the February 14th agenda, so that the full County Board could be heard as supporting or not supporting the referendum. However, their vote will have no effect on the fact that the referendum is already on the April 4th Consolidated Election ballot.
Two area superintendents present at the January 19th committee meeting at the Vermilion County Health Department expressed high hopes that the referendum would pass. Salt Fork Superintendent Phil Cox says more than half of Illinois’ counties, including Champaign, have taken this initiative to have education funded more by sales tax and less by property taxes. He says that if it works in those places, it can work here.
AUDIO: And we have people from Vermilion County that shop in Champaign all the time. And when they do, they’re donating a penny of every dollar they spend to all the schools there. And yet it hasn’t stopped anybody from going and shopping in Champaign.
Westville Schools Superintendent Seth Miller says their school board has pledged to decrease property taxes if the referendum passes, and that’s their first priority. But Miller says the district’s second priority would be to bring in additional school resource officers. Because while Illinois law says the money brought in from this type of schools referendum cannot pay for teacher salaries, it could certainly be used to hire personnel to improve the health of the students. And that goes for the overall health and well being of the students.
AUDIO: Resource officers, mental health providers, counselors; people that are addressing both the physical safety security of the building, and then also the mental health of the students as well.
Once again, that resolution will be on the Vermilion County Board meeting agenda for February 14th. An individual’s “yes” vote will mean they support the resolution that is against the passing of this referendum; while a “no” vote will provide a chance to say they are against and resolution, and in support of the referendum.
