Hall High School Needs Your Help!
Letter from Superintendent Struna to the Parents and Taxpayers of Hall High School
by Mike Struna
February 01, 2010
Hello Hall High School Parents and Taxpayers,
We really need your help! Hall High School, not unlike many schools in Illinois, is facing a financial “perfect storm” which is endangering the education of our students. That “perfect storm” is being caused by several factors, the most critical being the lack of state funding for public education. Lack of state funding is not a recent problem, but it is now growing worse at time when local funding is also in decline. Here are the facts:
• The State of Illinois has a 9 billion dollar deficit in their budget which hinders their ability to pay bills including reimbursements to public schools.
• Hall High School receives its largest percentage of revenue from the local taxpayer. For 2010-2011, local tax revenues will increase by 2%, the lowest increase since 2004.
• Hall High school receives its second largest percentage of revenue from the state in the form of General State Aid which is based, for the most part, on a dollar amount per student. The enrollment of Hall High School has been declining during the past three years which is causing a decrease in General State Aid.
• Hall High School receives its third largest percentage of revenue from the state in the form of categorical grants. The State of Illinois currently owes Hall High School $100,000 of categorical grant reimbursements for costs such as transportation, driver education, special education, and lunch program costs incurred in 2009-2010. The state is also due to pay Hall High School another $170,000 during the next five months, payments that may not occur.
• Hall High School receives its fourth largest percentage of revenue from the state reimbursement of corporation taxes (CPPRT). That revenue decreased by 18% in 2009 for a loss of $25,000 and is projected to decline again in 2010.
The Hall High School Board of Education must now take steps to face what is a critical declining revenue trend. The Board has two short-term options. One, increase revenues by borrowing, or two, decrease expenditures by making cuts. Although borrowing money would temporarily fill the revenue gap, borrowing money increases the local taxpayer property tax bill. Borrowed money must be paid back (with interest) by the taxpayers. The Hall Board of Education is strongly opposed to borrowing money at this time. The Hall Board of Education recently restructured previous loans (with a lower interest rate) that lowered the Hall High School property tax rate by 3.5%. The Board is opposed to increasing the burden again on our local taxpayers.
The tough decision now facing the Board is to make reductions to expenditures. The administration is recommending decreasing expenditures by $400,000 during the next three school years. Making such a reduction will have a negative impact on the education of the students of Hall High School. Unfortunately, school funding in Illinois is broke. Every dollar of state funding that is not sent to Hall High School impacts our students and our taxpayers. Our choice is obvious and difficult. We must make cuts and hurt the students of Hall High School or borrow money and ask the local taxpayer to pay the bills that the State of Illinois will not.
The Board and administration of Hall High School does not believe that the local taxpayers should pay the bills for the state of Illinois, especially considering the fact that the local taxpayer already provides 65% of our revenues.
What can you do to help? Please go to the Hall High School District website at www.hallhighschool.org and find the names of our state legislators and contact them and tell them that the state of Illinois must adequately fund public schools. The state of Illinois ranks 50th in the nation in the funding of public schools and now are failing to fund schools at an already embarrassing level. Please tell your legislators that your child deserves better. Education is the key to the future of our students and they have the right to receive a quality education.
We need your help!
Sincerely,
Michael Struna
Superintendent
Contact State Legislators at-
State Senator Gary Dahl
http://www.ilga.gov/senate/senator.asp?MemberID=1107
State Representative Frank Mautino
http://www.ilga.gov/house/Rep.asp?MemberID=939
State Representative Careen M. Gordon
http://www.ilga.gov/house/Rep.asp?MemberID=1077
Learn more about school funding in Illinois at-
