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 Voters in Maine Township High School District 207 in Cook County will be asked
to consider a $195 million bond referendum to fund infrastructure improvements.
The district school board voted Aug. 6 to place the referendum on the Nov. 6
general election ballot, with one board member voting against.
The bonds will be paid over a 20-year period and taxpayers are expected to pay
about $300 million with interest included. This would translate to a property
tax increase of $350 a year for a homeowner with a property value of $384,000,
the median Park Ridge homeowner, according to the district. The median Des
Plaines homeowner will see a property tax bill increase of $223.
A “yes” vote on the referendum signals support for the issuance of bonds for
building upgrades in District 207. A “no” vote signals opposition to the
issuance of bonds.
District 207 covers all of Park Ridge, unincorporated Maine Township, and parts
of Des Plaines, Niles, Morton Grove, Glenview, Norridge and Harwood Heights. It
is made up of Maine East, Maine West, and Maine South high schools.
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The planned infrastructure improvements total an estimated $240.7
million, with the remaining $45.7 million coming from district
reserves. All three schools will receive secure main entrances and
renovations and updates throughout.
The average 2017 property tax bill for Cook County’s north suburbs –
where District 207 is located – is $7,330, a $213 increase from
2016, according to the Cook County Clerk.
Over the last 10 years, the number of administrators per student,
administrator and teacher pay in District 207 has consistently
outpaced the state average.
Any homeowner in District 207 can estimate the possible impact of
the bond referendum on their property tax bill. The district’s
referendum site instructs homeowners to multiply the amount of taxes
paid to District 207 on their 2016 bill by 12.96 percent.
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