To the editor:
This letter is to the taxpayers of Granite City District 9, who probably didn't know that the district – on Nov. 22 – published a notice in the Belleville News-Democrat that the district intends to issue $20 million of “working cash” bonds.
The district is using the infamous “backdoor referendum” loophole in Illinois law to borrow $20 million – which will be repaid with higher property taxes – without voter approval.
It’s a little like your spouse borrowing money without your approval – money that you will have to pay back.
“Working cash” means that the proceeds of the bond issue may – practically – be spent by the district without restriction.
Let’s be clear. If the district wanted you to vote on this they could have just put it on the ballot.
But they didn’t want you to vote on it.
The notice says that if – only if – citizens gather 2,653 signatures on petitions (that say “we want to vote on it”) – only then will it be on the ballot.
And note the timing: The 30 days after Nov. 22. Most people are busy with Thanksgiving and preparing for Christmas. And it’s dark and cold – not ideal for going door to door getting signatures on petitions.
I didn’t see this Nov. 22 public notice, despite the fact that I search – at least weekly – for tax increases, bond issues, etc. on Illinois Public Notice, a website that makes all public notices published in Illinois newspapers easily accessible.
I search for “bonds” and other keywords and “Madison County” and didn’t see anything.
Why? Because the “publication county” on Illinois Public Notice was St. Clair County, not Madison County.
District 9 should have also published this notice in Madison County.
This morning I sent an email to Superintendent Stephanie Cann, informing her that this public notice may be improper and invalid.
Kurt Prenzler
Madison County Chairman of the Board