By Leonard R Wass
Please vote no on Oswego Community Unit School District 308’s proposal to increase its limiting tax rate.
Here’s why you should vote no: Several years ago it raised $450 Million in construction bonds using “Save the Children” as a slogan. The money was sufficient for new schools for a population of 60,000, but it leveled out at half (30,000) and SD-308 kept building/spending. It wound up: Shuttering our perfectly fine middle school and renting it to outside groups; building several schools empty for years; spending unnecessarily, e.g., facelifts to Oswego High School; and, filling the large, usable elementary school across from OHS with highly-paid administrative staff, e.g., assistant deans. Now SD-308 has difficulty repaying the bond issue because half the population forecasted must pay for it.
How has SD-308 reacted? What it always has done: Cut lower level positions; cut student services/athletics; raise fees to parents; and, cry out “Save the Children” to raise our taxes.
What should it do? Cut all high-cost (salaries and pensions) administrative positions that do not contribute directly to educating our youth. SD-308 is bloated with this fat. I know, because I helped Fortune 500 companies remove such fat for 35 years. Until SD-308 does it, keep voting no on tax increases.
Leonard R Wass is the committeeman for Oswego 10 and resides in Oswego.