Berwyn South District 100 referendum measure passes

BERWYN – Berwyn South School District 100 will increase its limiting tax rate, after voters approved a referendum measure April 4 that would provide the district with about $1 million for the 2017-18 school year.

The referendum passed by about 54 percent to 46 percent, according to preliminary election results.

The district was facing a $1 million deficit for next year, putting extracurricular activities and community preschool partnerships on the chopping block. It's likely the district would have needed to further increase class sizes as well.

Superintendent Mary Havis said the district is thankful it won't need to make cuts, instead continuing to provide the same opportunities to its students.

"We are really grateful to the community for investing in the children in south Berwyn," she said.

The referendum will cost taxpayers an average of about $200 a year or $16 a month. Looking ahead, it will generate about $2 million for the 2018-19 school year.

"This was a community effort," Havis said.

Leading up to Election Day, the district had hosted a series of meetings with community members to ensure they received the information they needed to make an informed vote, she said.

Board of Education President Bob Pauly previously told Suburban Life there are several situations that have caused the district's budget woes. One of them is the increase in student enrollment, which he said grew from 1,600 students to 4,000 students over 30 years, while there has been little residential or commercial growth to increase the property tax base.

A reduction in state funding also has hurt the district, which is highly reliant on state assistance, he said. The district has lost about $8 million from the state over the last four years.

Freelance reporter Aimee Barrows contributed to this story.