To the editor:

Taxpayers in DuPage County pay an extra 1 percent tax bill to all local governments primarily for people not paying their property tax bills by appealing their property valuations. Your 2014 tax year bill was paid last June/September. Hinsdale H.S. District 86 passed Resolution 14.10, the “Zero Loss and Cost Factor” to omit that extra 1 percent tax for that year. This was implemented for taxpayers in the Cook County part of District 86. There, the tax omitted was the usual 3 percent, and 5 percent specific to debt service tax levies.

Subsequent to the board passing “Resolution 14.10,” the Board and public were not advised as to the status or results. The required tax abatement for 1 percent was never filed. However, William Eagan, District 86’s chief financial officer, said in March, before tax bills were mailed, he instructed the county to abate $500,000, which he said was his estimate of the additional 1 percent added to the DuPage portion of the school district’s levy. But no, it was not 1 percent of the $72.1 million DuPage portion tax bill, nor related to the “Zero Loss and Cost Factor” board resolution.

Board President Kay Gallo stated this item would be brought up for discussion at the March 7 board meeting, so I attended. Despite not being on the agenda as promised, and no related Board discussion allowed, I put a simple question to the board, “Was the DuPage County tax abatement last year related to the 1 percent “loss and cost factor” resolution? Yes, or no? Finance Committee Chairman Bill Carpenter answered with a resounding, “No.”

So while District 86’s Cook County taxpayers received the authorized tax break, DuPage County taxpayers did not.

Now ask yourself, how in the world can you trust this board for their estimated $130 million referendum, $30 million for South, and $100 million more for Central High School?

Roger Kempa

Darien