Unofficially, according to totals posted by the Cook County Clerk as of Tuesday morning, voters have passed a referendum asking residents in LaGrange-Brookfield Elementary School District 102 for a property tax increase.
But the margin of victory with all 21 precinct reporting is razor thin – 147 votes — and the county’s vote totals have not been updated since late on Nov. 8. Those totals were expected to be updated sometime later this week after the Landmark’s press time, according to a county clerk spokesman.
A total of 13,569 registered voters (about 67.5 percent of all registered voters) in District 102 cast a ballot on the referendum question, with 6,397 voting for the tax increase and 6,250 voting against it.
The District 102 school board put the question on the ballot in August, after the administration said the district’s cash reserves would run out by 2021 without an infusion of revenue to pay for day-to-day school operations.
The school district has been drawing down its cash reserves for several years. If successful, the referendum would bring in an additional $3 million in the first year. If the referendum failed, the administration said, the school district would face significant budget cuts.
A successful referendum is expected to increase tax bills for District 102 homeowners by $112 per $100,000 of a home’s market value.
Stack falls short
for Board of Review
The Lyons-Brookfield Elementary School Board of Education did Human Resources Director Marty Stack a big favor back in August when they allowed him to cut his hours without losing any benefits to part time in order to make a run for a seat on the Cook County Board of Review.
But on Nov. 8, Stack’s bid to become commissioner of the Board of Review’s First District fell flat. Incumbent Republican Dan Patlak, whose war chest of more than $570,000 dwarfed Stack’s roughly $77,000, cruised to re-election in the district, which includes much of west and northwest Cook County, including Brookfield, North Riverside and Riverside.
Unofficial totals from the Cook County Clerk and the Chicago Board of Elections showed that with all precincts reporting, Patlak had won 345,628 votes to Stack’s 317,421.
Back in August, the District 103 school board voted to give Stack a one-year contract as a part-time human resources director at a salary of $40,000 with benefits. Prior to August, Stack was considered a full-time employee with a salary of $75,000.
It’s unclear whether the school board will again amend Stack’s contract now that he’s no longer campaigning and won’t be on the Cook County Board of Review, which is responsible for handing property assessment appeals.
