The cost is real. So are the consequences of doing nothing.

No one likes higher taxes. That's fair.

But voters deserve to compare the cost of the referendum with the potential cost of larger classes, fewer teachers, reduced support, fewer programs, and less school stability.

see the breakdown

What Did the Referendum Cost?

The Details

Put in Perspective

District 45’s referendum plan was expected to generate approximately $4.3 million per year. The estimated impact for the owner of a $350,000 home would be about $299 more per year in property taxes.

No one is pretending $299 a year does not matter.

But it helps to understand what that number actually means.

Put in Perspective

For the $350,000 homeowner, it's roughly:

Less than $1 per day
About one less coffee per week
About one fewer takeout meal per month

That cost should be weighed against what may be at stake for students, teachers, programs, and schools.

What Could That Help Protect?

A yes vote would help protect the things students rely on every school day:

Teachers
Manageable class sizes
Reading and math support
Student services
Academic programming
Extracurricular activities
School stability
Neighborhood school identity

The referendum would help avoid maximizing class sizes, laying off teachers, closing schools, reducing academic programming, and reducing student resources and supports.

The Better Question

The question is not only:

Can we afford $25 a month?

The question is also:

Can our students afford fewer teachers, larger classes, reduced support, fewer programs, and less stability?

For Homeowners Without Kids in School

Strong schools matter even if you do not currently have a child in District 45.

They affect:

Neighborhood stability
Community reputation
Property values
Local business strength
Whether families want to move into the area
Whether families choose to stay

Good schools are part of what makes a community strong.

For Families on Fixed Incomes

The cost matters.

It's reasonable for people to ask hard questions.

This campaign should not dismiss that.

But voters also deserve to know what the district has said may happen without stable funding: teacher layoffs, larger class sizes, reduced programming, extracurricular cuts, and possible future redistricting or school closures.

The goal is not to shame anyone.

The goal is to make sure the community has the full picture before making a decision.

Less than $1 a day. A lot more at stake.

For many households, the estimated cost is one small weekly tradeoff.

For D45 students, it could help protect the support, teachers, programs, and stability they rely on every day.

Get Involved

The cost is real. So are the consequences of doing nothing.

What Did the Referendum Cost?

The Details

Put in Perspective

Put in Perspective

Put in Perspective

Put in Perspective

Put in Perspective

What Could That Help Protect?

A yes vote would help protect the things students rely on every school day:

The Better Question

For Homeowners Without Kids in School

Strong schools matter even if you do not currently have a child in District 45.

For Families on Fixed Incomes

The cost matters.

Less than $1 a day. A lot more at stake.

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