School Board Candidates Are The Worst

It seems to be happening everywhere.  We, the taxpayers, are putting up with a bunch of terrible, conflicted, special-interest-backing candidates for school boards around the State and suburbs.

And then we wonder why our property taxes are out of control?  It's because we have terrible candidates and they get elected.  Are there good school board members?  Of course there are.  But there are a lot of them that shouldn't even be running.

Would it be heresy to state that we believe that anyone who is a teacher or administrator or (gasp!) even worse.... an officer of a teacher's union in another district just flat out are terrible candidates.  And they deserve to be voted against on that fact alone.

It is happening all over.  In Kaneland schools, a principal from a neighboring district is running.  He, apparently, doesn't think being an 'empire builder' in one district is enough.  Now he wants to have his hand in driving property taxes up in 2 districts.

In Mount Prospect District 57, there's 2 teachers running.  Yep.  2 teachers.  They want to be on the school board.  Wonder which side they're going to pick when it comes to negotiations?  Their own teachers union or you...the taxpayers?

In Dundee, there's a former Superintendent running.  Empire building at it's best.  Hey!  He's done it once.  I'm sure the district he looked after raised their levy every year.  And as close to that 5% that they can do without having to ask voters.  Now he wants to be on the board to do it again.

In Park Ridge, there are three candidates who are all married to teachers in the District.  Yes.  Seriously.  So they're in line to vote between voting to give their own wife a raise or siding with the taxpayers.  Which will they pick?

In Downers, there's not one, not two, but three teachers running for the school board.  One retired.  Oh, and this is rich:  one of the candidates is the President of the Teachers Union in a neighboring district.  Wonder where his loyalties lie?  Those negotiations with the teachers are going to be tough, right?

This just *has* to be a deliberate move by the teacher's unions to install sympathetic candidates on boards, right?

Every candidate on the ballot for school board should have to note 2 things:

1.  If they're a teacher.
2.  If they have kids in the schools.

We know that here at the Truth Team we believe this to be true:  The best school board members are most likely going to come from a group of citizens that have no skin in the game other than their property values.  A mom - who wasn't a teacher - who's kids have graduated from the schools?  A dad who works in the private sector who's kids are all in college or grown up?  Look for those folks.  That's who you'll want to vote for.

North Cook News: Aurora Austriaco Is Trojan Horse for Boss Madigan and Others

A bombshell of a report is up at the North Cook News and covered by AnybodyButAurora.com in the race for Maine Township District 207's race for school board.  In the story, they connect all the pieces of the puzzle from the backing and support - to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars - that political boss Mike Madigan, trial lawyers and public unions have given Aurora Austriaco.  Yes, that's right...she's been handed hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions.  Can you say "Special Interests"?

But she also had Joe Berrios' attorney represent her at her ballot challenge hearing.  Don't know about Joe Berrios.  Start your reading here.  These are the guys who are backing Aurora Austriaco.

Then the story goes on to talk about the 'quietness' of Aurora Austriaco's current campaign.  Why is she so quiet?  Welp...that's on purpose of course.  The political bosses want this to be a sleepy campaign.  Why?  So they can sneak her in to the board.  You're asking...why would they care about a school board?  Well, it is happening all over, but it is simple:  this is about money and influence.

Think about your property tax bill.  Where does the bulk of the money go to?  That's right, the schools.  There's $130M and growing at stake here.

Chicago political machine folks give Aurora Austriaco over half a million dollars.  And we voters are supposed to think that she'd be an impartial board member?  Please.  Look at that last line:

"If Aurora Austriaco wins a spot on the Maine Township District 207 School Board, Boss Mike Madigan might get a return on his investment, just yet."

Property Values in DuPage and Across The Suburbs Dropping, Forcing Pressure On Higher Property Taxes

Top 10 Communities that lost the most in home values since 2007 via DuPage Policy Journal

Over at the DuPage Policy Journal, the Local Government Information Services (which publishes dozens of local news outlets across the State of Illinois), is out with an important read for every taxpayer and homeowner in DuPage County.

For those keeping track at home, that means that Bobby McNeily, who is running for Wheaton City Council in the West District, can pass reading this.  Why?  Because he doesn't pay any property taxes.
But the rest of you, if you aren't already, this should make you pay attention:

Homeowner equity in DuPage County is eroding quickly as property taxes soar, driven by surging local government spending and massive municipal debts. Every DuPage County community, including its most-affluent enclaves, saw home values plummet over the past decade. 

...How much will DuPage County homeowners take before homeownership here is no longer affordable? 

Assuming a decline at the same pace as the past eight years, LGIS analysis projected median home values by DuPage community in 2023. 

If trends hold up, a Hinsdale home worth $939,000 in 2007 will be worth $684,988 in 2023. And its homeowner will have paid $242,525 in property taxes for the privilege of having their name on the title for a sixteen year period.

We've pasted the top 10 losers since 2007 that tops out with Willowbrook homeowners losing - on average - almost 50% of their home values.

The results of these depressed home values?  Higher property taxes to feed the beast that is local government and the empire building that is taking place in schools across the collar counties.

When we go to the polling place this year, let's all remember these facts and begin to ask questions about school board members and local elected officials about what cuts they're planning to make to our local governments.

And the biggest questions have to be about the plan on pensions at the municipal level.   If you come across a candidate who is asking questions and talking about pensions and the problems at the local level (teachers, firemen, police, municipal works), you should pay attention.  That's somebody who is working on the tough issues and likely warrants your support.

Maine 207 District Race: One Fatally Flawed Candidate Running Again

Over at West Cook News, they take the local journalist from the Journal & Topics to task for claiming that some are inserting partisan politics into a supposedly 'independent' election process.  It all stems from a few candidates having their nominating petitions challenged recently including a multiple-time loser (at least four-time loser, right?) Aurora Austriaco, who is complaining about someone having the gall to see if she followed the rules.  How dare they?!?!?

We say:  How dare Aurora Austriaco run for school board.  Doesn't she get it?  The voters don't want her.  She's a loser that keeps losing elections.  And, based on all the facts that are out there regarding her history (property taxes, missing meetings, pay-to-play with Blagojevich, being Speaker Mike Madigan's stooge), we're frankly surprised that she's decided to throw her hat in the ring again.

We're certain that the voters of Maine Township need to know the record of Aurora Austriaco and why anybody else on the ballot would make a better school board member than her!