Politics & Government
Clarendon Hills Park District Master Plan on the Line
The district seeks voter approval on Nov. 2 to maintain debt limits to pay for capital projects.
Money for the Clarendon Hills Park District's master plan will be on the line Nov. 2.
In 1990, $1.4 million in debt, in the form of 20-year bonds, was issued by the Park District, after voters approved a referendum allowing the district to increase its tax rate for annual debt service, primarily to improve Lions Park Pool. Those bonds will be retired this year. Unless Clarendon Hills residents on Nov. 2 vote for a referendum to extend the current debt ceiling and allow the district to replace the expiring bonds, the Park District says its annual funding for capital projects will be slashed by 53 percent.
That means implementation of the master plan for improvements would slow down. According to the district's website, the plan calls for more improvements at Lion's Park Pool, and trails, pedestrian lighting, more shade trees, picnic pavilions and drinking fountains at other parks.
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The referendum question on the Nov. 2 is complex, but essentially asks that the Park District be allowed to increase its annual expenditure for debt service from $65,587 (the level of 20 years ago) to $143,762 (where it's at now). The change would be effective with the 2010 levy year and all subsequent years. The maximum expenditure on debt would also be allowed to rise in the future in accord with Illinois' tax cap law — the lesser of 5 percent annually or the percentage rise in the Consumer Price Index.
The Park District has posted a downloadable brochure on its website. According to the brochure, passage of the referendum would not increase taxes but would keep the current level, avoiding a reduction of revenue that would force the district to postpone or cancel future capital projects.
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Previous projects that were at least partially funded through the 1990 bonds included construction and renovation of Lion's Park Pool and phase 1 of Kruml Park's construction.
Currently, only 6.10 percent of residents' total property tax bill is attributable to the Park District and the cost of maintaining the debt service limits at current levels is minimal, according to the brochure. The district calculates that if the referendum is not approved, a person with a home with market value of $392,900 would only save a nickel a day.
