Image: Cook County ISD 166

By Chris Lindholm, ISD 166 Superintendent - Updated September 3, 2024. Originally posted August 30, 2024

As the new school year begins, our community is also preparing to make an important decision that will shape the future of education in Cook County. On November 5, 2024, residents of Cook County Public School District will vote on a bond referendum proposing significant investments in our PreK-12 school building. This referendum represents a chance to invest in the safety, accessibility, and educational quality of our schools for future generations.

The bond referendum consists of three separate ballot questions, each addressing specific needs identified by the district in collaboration with students, staff, and community members. If approved, our district will invest a total of $36.78 million to complete important additions, renovations, and maintenance work to our building and grounds.

The referendum’s three ballot questions aim to address the top needs of our school, which were identified through careful assessments and several listening sessions with students, staff, and community members.

• Question One, totaling $24.17 million, focuses on upgrading spaces within the PreK-12 school building, including new common areas, a centralized student services area, classroom renovations, an additional gymnasium, improved accessibility, enhanced security, and completion of HVAC, lighting, and security maintenance.

• Question Two, amounting to $9.16 million, proposes improvements to the school’s grounds and arts spaces, including the installation of an artificial turf football & softball field, a running track, lights for the baseball field and updated theater seating and equipment. 

• Question Three, totaling $3.45 million, seeks to add another gymnasium to support physical education, athletics, and community recreation. This would enable our district to host more home events and tournaments to welcome visitors to our community and reduce travel time for student-athletes. It is important to note that the passage of Question Two depends on the approval of Question One, and Question Three is contingent upon the approval of both Questions One and Two.

If the referendum is approved, the proposed projects will be funded through a property tax increase within the district. For an average home valued at $400,000, the total tax impact would amount to $29 per month if all three ballot questions pass. Specifically, the tax impact for Question One would be $18 per month, $8 per month for Question Two, and $3 per month for Question Three. A tax calculator is available at VikingsVision.org/tax-impact to help residents determine their specific tax impact.

There are several tax credits and deferrals that residents may qualify for to reduce their tax impact if the referendum is approved. Additionally, the cost of the referendum to many residents will be offset in part or in full by recent tax credits approved by the legislature earlier this year. The taconite tax credit will be increasing from $289 to as much as $515 annually for residents in our school district. More information about these opportunities can be found at VikingsVision.org/tax-impact. 

Registered voters in mail ballot precincts will receive their ballots by mail, which must be returned by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. For those not in mail ballot precincts, there are three ways to vote: early voting by mail, which begins on September 20 and continues through November 4; early voting in person at the Cook County Auditor’s Office from September 20 through November 4; and voting on Election Day, November 5, with polls open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

I encourage you to learn more about this important decision at VikingsVision.org and to reach out with any questions. Our district is committed to providing every resident with the information they need to make an informed vote on Election Day and will continue to share more information and answer questions over the next couple of months.