Post by WeNeed3 on Mar 21, 2009 20:34:49 GMT -5
D303 teachers union, contractors kick-in to support referendum
By James Fuller | Daily Herald
In terms of putting their money where their mouths are, no one wants the bond issue the St. Charles Unit District 303 referendum is proposing to win voter approval more than the district's teachers union.
The St. Charles Education Association has donated $11,000 this year to the pro-bond issue group Citizens for Excellence in Education, according to data from the Illinois State Board of Elections.
The $114 million proposal would rebuild or renovate all the district's middle schools and Davis Elementary. The proposal is being billed as a "no-tax-rate-increase bond issue," but if the bond issue is not approved, residents could pay less in taxes.
Union President Pam Turriff said teachers, as a whole, support the referendum proposal by a large majority. But she knows not every teacher will vote in favor of it April 7.
She said there is no pay-for-play relationship between the donations or the volunteer hours some teachers are contributing to the campaign.
"There's absolutely nothing in (the referendum) about that," Turriff said. "The only thing in there for teachers is a few new school buildings."
Citizens for Excellence in Education is running the pro-bond issue machine. But the dollars fueling the manpower and yard signs urging a "yes" vote are all supplied by the teachers union or companies that do business with the school district.
The group raked in $11,431 from Jan. 1 to March 8, according to state data. Five companies with district contracts chipped in just under half that total.
Among them, the Spare Wheels Transportation Co. contributed $1,000 to the campaign. The company takes students with special needs to Mid-Valley School.
Parent Petroleum Co., which supplies fuel for the district, also kicked in $1,000 to the campaign while GCA Education Services Inc., which holds the district's night custodian contract, donated $1,500 to the campaign fund.
Furniture supplier The Lowery McDonnell Co. contributed $300, and Brian Feltes and Associates, the district's insurance company, contributed $1,500.
The St. Charles Educational Support Professionals Association represents the district's secretaries, teacher assistants and receptionists and contributed $1,000 to the campaign.
But all of that is small potatoes compared to the $6,000 contribution from the teachers union before March 8, and another $5,000 just this week.
Turriff said support for the April 7 proposal does not guarantee union support for any future proposal, but teachers back the current measure mainly because it comes with the promise of no tax rate increase.
"We need all our schools to be safe and secure," Turriff said in a written statement.
Funding: Union says it's not for the teachers
www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=280608
By James Fuller | Daily Herald
In terms of putting their money where their mouths are, no one wants the bond issue the St. Charles Unit District 303 referendum is proposing to win voter approval more than the district's teachers union.
The St. Charles Education Association has donated $11,000 this year to the pro-bond issue group Citizens for Excellence in Education, according to data from the Illinois State Board of Elections.
The $114 million proposal would rebuild or renovate all the district's middle schools and Davis Elementary. The proposal is being billed as a "no-tax-rate-increase bond issue," but if the bond issue is not approved, residents could pay less in taxes.
Union President Pam Turriff said teachers, as a whole, support the referendum proposal by a large majority. But she knows not every teacher will vote in favor of it April 7.
She said there is no pay-for-play relationship between the donations or the volunteer hours some teachers are contributing to the campaign.
"There's absolutely nothing in (the referendum) about that," Turriff said. "The only thing in there for teachers is a few new school buildings."
Citizens for Excellence in Education is running the pro-bond issue machine. But the dollars fueling the manpower and yard signs urging a "yes" vote are all supplied by the teachers union or companies that do business with the school district.
The group raked in $11,431 from Jan. 1 to March 8, according to state data. Five companies with district contracts chipped in just under half that total.
Among them, the Spare Wheels Transportation Co. contributed $1,000 to the campaign. The company takes students with special needs to Mid-Valley School.
Parent Petroleum Co., which supplies fuel for the district, also kicked in $1,000 to the campaign while GCA Education Services Inc., which holds the district's night custodian contract, donated $1,500 to the campaign fund.
Furniture supplier The Lowery McDonnell Co. contributed $300, and Brian Feltes and Associates, the district's insurance company, contributed $1,500.
The St. Charles Educational Support Professionals Association represents the district's secretaries, teacher assistants and receptionists and contributed $1,000 to the campaign.
But all of that is small potatoes compared to the $6,000 contribution from the teachers union before March 8, and another $5,000 just this week.
Turriff said support for the April 7 proposal does not guarantee union support for any future proposal, but teachers back the current measure mainly because it comes with the promise of no tax rate increase.
"We need all our schools to be safe and secure," Turriff said in a written statement.
Funding: Union says it's not for the teachers
www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=280608
