HOW TO TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS VOTING NO IS OK:

Looking for a way to tell your friends and neighbors its OK to vote NO on the pool referendum? Heres a letter a Vote NO supporter sent to her local contacts.  A great template to create your own personal letter. Do it this weekend!!! #D200VoteNO

"Dear friends:

As you know, our wild campaign season also includes a local referendum question that has become quite contested and controversial. I’m writing because I am concerned that one side of this question is not being portrayed correctly and to share information as you make a decision on November 8. The pool referendum in question would allocate funds for one pool option – one of the two most expensive options considered by the high school during many months of community meetings, surveys, committee meetings, etc. I am in firm agreement with Vote Yes proponents that our 88-year old pools need to be completely rebuilt. There are in very poor condition and have changed little since I went out of my way to get out of swim class more than 30 years ago! However, I am VOTING NO because there IS another viable option – one that would rebuild the existing pools, provide additional space for other activities and preserve a parking garage that has many years of life left - all for far less money, less disruption to campus, and less reliance on our ever-increasing property taxes. 

Did you kNOw...

We have a lot of information that you can share on our BASIC FACTS page!
Check it out.  

Check HERE for a recap of prior "Did you kNOw..." posts.

Did you kNOw...

Just over one year ago on October 14, 2015, this high school Board voted unanimously to demolish the parking garage and proceed with construction of an Olympic sized (50 meter) pool on the site. To fund that project’s $37.5 million price tag the Board would have taken $20 million from its fund balance and $17.5 million in non-referendum working cash bonds. This funding approach was chosen for the sole purpose of bypassing voters and avoiding a referendum.
#D200VoteNo

Two things you need to kNOw regarding the referendum question come voting day:

1. It is the very last item on the ballot. Past all the judges, past the other referendum and advisory questions. Very last item. Be sure NOt to skip it.

2. The question is easily misinterpreted as it only states the $25Million requested amount in referendum bonds. It does NOt include the $20Million in taxpayer monies being used by the school out of cash on hand (taxpayer money). $45Million in taxpayer money would be spent if the referendum passes. 

Please spread the word to every voter in Oak Park and River forest on these two very important points.

Here is the referendum question. Note it does not specify sizes of: the pool, the new parking garage, the classrooms etc. It is vague. Should we be voting on $45Million worth of vague???

"Shall the Board of Education of Oak Park and River Forest Consolidated High School District Number 200, Cook County, Illinois, build and equip a swimming pool addition to replace the existing 88-year-old swimming pools at the Oak Park and River Forest High School Building; alter, repair and equip said School Building to improve the learning, performing arts and locker room spaces therein; improve the site thereof; build and equip a parking garage to replace the existing parking garage; and issue bonds of said School District in an amount not to exceed $25,000,000 for the purpose of paying costs thereof?"
#D200VoteNo

DID YOU KNOW... a recap

*Just over one year ago on October 14, 2015, this high school Board voted unanimously to demolish the parking garage and proceed with construction of an Olympic sized (50 meter) pool on the site. To fund that project’s $37.5 million price tag the Board would have taken $20 million from its fund balance and $17.5 million in non-referendum working cash bonds. This funding approach was chosen for the sole purpose of bypassing voters and avoiding a referendum.
#D200VoteNo


*For $37.3 Million we could build one pool outside of the schools footprint, tear down a parking garage, build a smaller new parking garage after two years of no parking garage...

                                                                           OR

For $37.3 Million we could build two brand new pools within the schools footprint, keep the existing larger parking garage and have $15 Million to address the NEEDS of the educational and arts missions of the school?

BTW - $15 Million is a greater allocation of funds for educational and arts programs than is built into the $44.5 Million referendum ballot "plan". Lets spend our money wisely and Vote NO. #D200VoteNo

*It's OK to vote no on the D200 referendum question. It does not indicate a lack of support for our local schools; it indicates we need to be smart in how we allocate our resources - our land and our money. Giving up so much of both for an unnecessarily large swimming pool is not a smart allocation. http://www.oakpark.com/…/It's-OK-to-vote-No-on-pool-referen…