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Thursday, September 29, 2011

Sending out an SOS. « Fred Klonsky's blog

Sending out an SOS. « Fred Klonsky's blog:

Sending out an SOS.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2011
by Fred Klonsky

Monday’s Park Ridge board of education meeting was fascinating.

Let me set the scene.

The board was going to adopt the proposed budget. Because Park Ridge is a moderately affluent community, and because we won a tax referendum several years ago, the district has been buffered by the impact of the economic crisis that other public school districts, particularly urban and downstate districts, are experiencing.

With an annual budget of $70 million, the district is running with savings of 30% over expenses.

Since Illinois funds it’s public schools on a crazy system based primarily on local property taxes,