Election Results 2016: Palos District 118 Voters Say Yes to $6.5 Million Bond Referendum

PALOS PARK, IL — Taxpayers on Nov. 8 decided in favor of their school district's idea of a four-classroom addition at Palos West School, with the approval of a $6.5 million referendum.

Palos District 118 will borrow $6.5 million by selling construction bonds to finance a four-classroom addition with accessible bathrooms for its early childhood and pre-kindergarten programs. Both are hosted at Palos West.

As of 11 p.m., with all 21 of 21 precincts counted, the unofficial vote totals are:

• 6,547 — YES
• 5,132 — NO

The referendum appeared on the ballot as phrased below:

Shall the Board of Education of Palos Community Consolidated School District Number 118, Cook County, Illinois, build and equip an addition to the Palos West Elementary School Building for the District's special education early childhood and at-risk pre-kindergarten programs, alter, repair and equip school buildings, improve the sites thereof and issue bonds of said School District to the amount of $6,500,000 for the purpose of paying the costs thereof?

Currently the District owes $1.78 million per year for its bonds and the last payment is on December 1, 2016. With the new referendum approved, the amount residents pay in their tax bill will remain steady with current rates, the district told residents. The median home pays $172 annually, or $14.33 per month.

To lock in low interest rates, the district plans to sell the bonds shortly after the election prior to the end of the calendar year. The first payment would be due December 1, 2017 and the final payment would be December 1, 2020.

The addition would cost an estimated $4.25 million. The remainder of the bond proceeds would cover $600,000 in costs for vehicle circulation improvements, such as an early childhood drop-off at the addition, and other miscellaneous repairs at the district's other schools.

The programs are designed to help all 3-5 year old students with disabilities or identified as at risk reach their full potential. Teachers have stressed the need for the addition, noting the current space's inadequacies for teaching 3 to 5-year-olds, and also stressing the time spent walking students down the hall to the restrooms. The current spaces were not envisioned with those programs in mind, and cannot “provide a dedicated area specifically designed for early learning, incorporating best practices,” the district says.

Voters last passed a referendum for the district almost 50 years ago.

More information is available online.

Photo Courtesy of Palos District 118