'Several Important Points' About the D125 Race

There are several important points that must be brought forth on two of the important issues in the April 5 election for Stevenson School Board. During the December Stevenson School Board Meeting in discussing the tax levy, Kim Brady focused solely on the June 30th reserve balance. Yet, Lake County taxes are paid in June and September and the school receives its tax funds then. These funds must last the Board through the end of the following May. Thus, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles the State evaluates a school’s financial condition and its reserves as of May 31st. Stevenson’s reserves are in line with the State Board of Education’s guidelines.

Additionally, the challenger’s positions display an alarming lack of understanding of school finances and the process of establishing tax rates for the school. They focus only on the tax levy. However, this is only one of the several factors included by the county clerk’s office in calculating that rate.

They also claim that it is good for the Board to go for referenda on a regular basis.  Yet, they fail to account for the costs of running such referenda. For example, time that administrators need to spend on a referendum is time taken away from students.

Lastly, after the March 16, 2009 board meeting, I personally had a conversation with Mr. Cardella about the school’s issues. During that conversation, Mr. Cardella explicitly told me that he wanted to see certain books removed from the English curriculum based upon moral objections, the teaching of Intelligent Design along side evolution in science class and to place an emphasis of the nation’s Christian heritage in US History class. Mr. Cardella (and by implication his slate) raised this issue and not his opponents. That slate’s attempts to deny Mr. Cardella’s position on this issue is at best disingenuous.

Bruce Slivnick

Deerfield