Pro-referendum Tactics

A review of newspaper articles, letters to the editor, referendum mailers, brochures and word of mouth prior to the March 16^th referendum vote in McHenry and Kane County reveals a carefully thought out plan to obtain passage of the referendum.

Below are some of the top pro-referendum tactics used to persuade voters to vote “Yes” for the referendum.

1. Figure out the hot buttons for your community and develop a propaganda campaign.

Threaten to cut extra curricular activities.
Threaten the safety of the children by threatening to eliminate police Liaison officer and security officers
Threaten to increase class size to the mid 30’s.
Threaten to change the school start times.
Threaten to close down daily gym class due to possible overcrowding.
Threaten the children will suffer if the referendum does not pass.

2. Never ever mention any annual windfall of tax dollars you receive or how the school board irresponsibly spends the district's money and fails to plan for known growth in the area.

Never mention the extravagant weekend conferences in Chicago where the District Board Members and their spouses rack up thousands of dollars staying at elegant hotels and eating at the best restaurants Chicago has to offer all on the taxpayer dollars.
Never mention raises well above the cost of living.
Never mention the extravagant benefit plans.
Never offer any solutions such as pay cuts, pay freezes or an increase in shared responsibility for healthcare coverage.

3. Make Sure to let everyone know that none of this is the District's fault. Blame the State for lack of funding, blame the voters for not passing a referendum. Blame the problem on growth, but do not take any responsibility.

Do you recognize any or all of the about. Its like a hostage negotiation where the District is using our children as pawns to get what the District wants. What I find amazing is how the District and it's Board Members are so professional with their management of the referendum effort, their ability to forecast the future formulating plans to action to be put in place regardless of the outcome of the referendum. However when it comes to running the district they couldn't use that same foresight to plan and spend responsibly to avoid the problem in the fist place.

It is 99% certain there will be another referendum in November. Stay informed and vote your conscience.

Selected portions of the Huntley Education Association Contract in agreement with the Board of Education Community Consolidated School District 158 2002/2003 through 2005/2006.

The school board pays up to 400.00 dollars per month per teacher to pay for the teachers’ health insurance premiums. The board pays an additional 150.00 dollars per month toward family insurance coverage.
Each teacher gets 14 sick days per school term without loss of pay. Sick pay shall accumulate to a maximum of 220 days. Teachers will be reimbursed at $15.00 per day for unused sick leave upon retirement up to 40 days.
Teachers will be paid $18 per hour during 2002-003 with an annual increase of $1 per hour for the following supervisory duties: concerts, scorebook keeping, general supervision of athletic contests, general supervision of concerts, Saturday suspension and bus duty.
The length of the teacher day shall be no longer than 7 hours and 45 minutes. On Friday's and Holiday Eves the teacher day will end 15 minutes early or immediately after the last student enrolled in the teacher's assigned grade is scheduled to depart whichever comes last.