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Health & Fitness

Bob McQuillan: What Is Your Exit Strategy?

Property taxes are high as a direct result of the passage of the 2007 referendum that had inflated projections.

How do I get out? After receiving your property tax bill last week, I’m sure this thought has crossed your mind. Especially if you live in Geneva or Batavia.

What happened? Why did my taxes increase so much? My house isn’t worth close to what “they” say is fair market value. There is no way I can afford an increase like this. These are the thoughts and questions that came first. 

And the answer is, “it is all about the schools.” Or better yet, the school buildings.  Both towns are now paying off huge debt for physical buildings. The sad truth is that the community voted to increase their own taxes by approving various building referendums. The real estate market collapse and the false promise that “your taxes won’t increase because of the referendum” has added to the nightmare. Did we REALLY need what was built? The answer is no, but the buildings aren’t going anywhere, nor is the debt. There is no easy solution. Guess the line from A Field of Dreams, build it and they will come, isn’t true after all.

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In Geneva, the issue is a little more complicated because the community was lied to about future enrollment projections. Don’t like the word "lie"? Is deceived, conned or misrepresented any better? They all mean the same thing: The administration and/or School Board intentionally inflated an expert’s projections so that they could get what they wanted. How do we know this? Because there is a paper trail and videotape. That’s right, everything is in black and white and even color. Some still want you to ignore what happened because taxing bodies always look out for their self interests. No, a breach of the trust shouldn't be expected nor should it be tolerated. 

The board president has even admitted as much at a public School Board meeting. His response was, “on top of Dr. Kasarda’s most enthusiastic projections, we used some type of a multiplier or additive and the numbers were quite a bit higher than what he projected. I’m not sure why. Without some type of full-blown investigation, too much time as gone by, too many people who were involved are no longer available. I’m not sure what else I can say on the matter.  The projections were high; we can’t go back in history. If we could, I would have a full head of hair.”

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The issue is that the community was told that Dr. Kasrada’s most expected projections were used and that he verified them. That is an outright lie. Three of the seven board members are still on the current board and the superintendent still is in place. Maybe the real problem is that too many involved are still around today.

Taking it one step further, the community approved $80 million in bonds, yet more than $112 million was actually issued. Why? Because the district was already over their debt limit, and current low interest bonds were refinanced with higher rate bonds that were non-callable—a legal loophole called a bond premium, that the community was never informed would happen. In 2009, the board actually explored the possibility of adding to the high school at a cost of more than $85 million. The addition was essentially for one new gym (the third) and a Performing Arts Center. Yep, Geneva would have been paying for a Performing Arts Center, too! This never made it to referendum but the board president at the time thought it was a good plan and was needed. That is all we needed, another $85 million in debt, which would have actually been higher because they still were over their debt limit!

If you aren’t satisfied with the “we don’t know where the numbers came from" response, I suggest you attend the Geneva School District Board of Education meeting on Monday May 14 at the former Coultrap Elementary School (it’s vacant) that begins at 7 p.m. The school entrance is on North Lincoln and Peyton. Maybe you’ll get an answer to your question; just don’t count on it.

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