W E D N E S D A Y
May 3, 2023 Vol. 43, No. 40
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JOURNAL @oakpark
OPRF coach/guard Tank Corner dies
of Oak Park and River Forest
Page 32
D200 board opts for no referendum
Unanimous decision on financing OPRF’s Project 2 By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter
“No new taxes.” That was the explanation given by Tom Cofsky, president of the school board at Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200, as the school board voted unanimously Thursday evening, April 27, on a funding plan for Imagine Project 2 that does not require a referendum vote. Project 2 is the school’s nearly $102 million plan to demolish and rebuild the southeast portion of the OPRF building on Scoville Avenue. Instead of asking voters in a referendum for permission to sell bonds to borrow the money to pay for a portion of the project the school board accepted the administration’s recommendation to pay for Project 2 by issuing 20-year debt certificates, a type of unsecured loan that is paid back out the school’s general operating levy, as well as using cash reserves and charitable donations. Unlike debt certificates, building bonds are paid off from a separate levy that would be a separate line item on a property tax bill.
Solemnly Sworn Village Clerk Christina Waters swears in new trustees, including Brian Straw (above), assisted by his children REPORT BY STACEY SHERIDAN, PAGE 12
Your
TODD A. BANNOR
T R O P SS PA
t o NE W S & C O M
See NO REFERENDUM on page 14
MUNITY
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