D86 Candidate: Current Board 'Gouging' District Taxpayers

The following is a letter to the editor from Darien resident Roger Kempa, one of eight candidates vying for four open seats on the District 86 school board.

All of us, residential and business property owners, will be receiving our annual property tax bill in the mail soon.  Courtesy of the board majority of Hinsdale Township High School District 86, you can expect that portion of your tax bill to be higher than last year, even with the value of your property still decreasing. 

The present board majority believes in getting every last dime out of you that they want, not what the school district actually needs.

Unwilling to give property owners a break, the board majority voted instead to increase the 2012 property tax levy over 2011 by 4.5 percent ($3.2 million) for the district's capped funds.

Before approving that increase, it was brought to their attention that:

1. Residents and businesses in the district are still experiencing harsh economic times;
2. The district has a huge cash reserve, actually in the amount of $61 million;
3. Numerous other local tax entities did not increase their property tax levies;
4. A suggested compromise of a lower increase was ignored; and
5. A “no tax increase” motion  was voted down.

In essence, the board majority said the following five times:  NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! How arrogant! I stand by my statement to that board majority, including Dennis Brennan, Deirdre Gorgol, and Kay Gallo:

You are gouging the taxpayers of this district. You are sending them a direct message. You don’t care!

I respectfully ask for your vote on April 9. 

Roger J. Kempa

8727 Carlisle Ct

Darien, IL