Voters to decide school, mental health, sales tax issues

From a $140.3 million school construction plan in far Western Kane County to establishing a mental health board in Palatine Township, voters will weigh in on various issues during the upcoming election.

Here’s a look at some of those binding ballot questions that taxpayers throughout the suburbs will decide on April 1.

Kaneland District 302

Just down the hall from a pair of 67-year-old heating and hot-water boilers is Kaneland High School history teacher Scott Parillo’s classroom.

Several walls are lined with bags of balls, bins of uniforms and other stuff for the soccer teams he coaches. Parillo says there is not enough room in the cage that his teams are assigned in the school’s main gym.

Kaneland Unit District 302 voters are being asked to let the district borrow $140.3 million for repairs, renovations and construction throughout the district, including adding a field house to the high school and converting one of its gymnasiums into classroom space. Those boilers would likely be replaced.

The district says it can do this without increasing the property tax rate levied for debt and interest by restructuring its current debt, pushing the payments out further. The estimated cost of doing that is $22 million.

Prospect Heights Elementary District 23

Prospect Heights Elementary District 23 is hoping the third time is the charm to pass a ballot measure.

After voters rejected tax-hike measures in April 2023 and March 2024 to fund full-day kindergarten and facility upgrades, the district is trying again.

The latest request seeks $19.3 million — about $6.2 million less than in March 2024 — to fund construction of a 21,050-square-foot addition at Eisenhower School. Besides providing the space and staff needed to meet a state mandate to offer full-day kindergarten, district officials say the money would allow for security enhancements at the school and the addition of 11 new dedicated student service offices, an occupational/physical therapy room, private restrooms in the nurse’s office and library renovations.

If voters support the measure, the owner of a $350,000 home would see a roughly $349 annual increase in property taxes, according to the school district.

Palatine Township

Voters in Palatine Township are being asked to support a citizen-backed referendum to establish a mental health board along with a tax to support it.

If approved, the measure would create a seven-member volunteer board that would distribute money generated by the new tax — an estimated $1.7 million a year — to local social service agencies that address mental health, substance abuse and developmental disabilities.

Advocates say if the ballot initiative succeeds, the owner of an average-priced home in the township would see their property tax bills increase by about $41.

Bensenville management

Bensenville voters will decide whether they want to continue to have a village manager oversee the day-to-day operations of the municipal government or to have the village president take on that role as a full-time position with full-time pay and benefits.

Roselle Fire District

The Roselle Fire Protection District is asking for a property tax increase to maintain existing levels of service in unincorporated pockets around Roselle, Medinah and Schaumburg.

If approved, the owner of a home valued at $300,000 would pay an estimated $201 more a year in taxes to the district.

It’s a “paper district,” meaning it has no stations, equipment or workers. Instead, the district collects taxes from residents in unincorporated areas and then pays the village of Roselle to provide services.

“We’re to the point where we are taking in less than we’re paying,” said district President Robert Nogan, who lives in Medinah and was appointed by the DuPage County Board.

The district’s current limiting rate revenue amounts to about $907,699 and would increase to roughly $1.285 million with voter approval.

“We’re not trying to increase this for any other reason than to continue the fine service that we receive from the village of Roselle fire department,” Nogan said.

Kane County sales tax

Voters in Kane County are deciding whether to institute a sales tax, to be used for public safety expenses. It would mean paying 7.5 cents for every $10 spent on general merchandise. It would not apply to groceries, medical supplies or titled vehicles such as cars, boats and snowmobiles. County officials expect it would raise about $51 million and would be used for public safety, public facilities, mental health, substance abuse and transportation expenses.

Pingree Grove library proposal

The Ella Johnson Memorial Public Library District is requesting permission to borrow $15 million to build a library in Pingree Grove.
Courtesy of Marissa Lambert

The Ella Johnson Memorial Public Library District, based in Hampshire, is seeking permission from voters to borrow $15 million to build a library in Pingree Grove. It’s a smaller ask than the district made in November when voters rejected a $30 million plan to build twin libraries in Pingree Grove and Hampshire.

Campton Township open space, cemetery work

In Kane County, residents of Campton Township will decide whether to spend more money to preserve and maintain open space. The township is asking permission to borrow $17.2 million to do so. According to township officials, the owner of a $400,000 property would pay another $286 the first year.

The township has purchased about 1,461 acres and obtained conservation easements on another 189 acres since residents approved the first open-space plan in 2001. Officials said about $5.4 million would be used to buy more land, bringing the total to about 2,000 acres. The rest would be spent on staffing, maintenance and improvements.

Campton Township voters also are being asked to increase the property tax for the Campton Township Cemetery Association. It has four cemeteries. Officials are asking to increase the rate to $.0073 per $100 equalized valuation, or about $28 more annually, for a $400,000 property. The amount of tax revenue collected would go from about $25,000 a year to $67,000.

Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Fire District

The Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Fire Protection District is seeking to borrow $25 million. If approved, the funding will support construction of a modern fire station designed to improve response times, enhance firefighter safety and meet the growing needs of the district’s 19,233 residents. The owner of a home with a median value of $600,000 would pay roughly $19 more monthly.

Kaneville Fire District

The Kaneville Fire Protection District is seeking a 56% increase in its operations property tax levy rate. If approved, the annual levy would increase from $332,303 total to $520,640 a year. The owner of a $300,000 property would pay about $288 more a year.

• Daily Herald staff writers Chuck Keeshan, Madhu Krishnamurthy and Katlyn Smith contributed to this report.