Rockford SD 205 financial staff presented competing funding options for a facility master plan, including a countywide 1% sales tax, a smaller sales‑tax increment, working‑cash bonds, and a traditional building referendum.

Staff recommended pursuing the option of a countywide 1% sales tax that would be placed on the March 2026 ballot only if other Winnebago County districts representing at least 80% of county students agreed to participate. The 1% sales‑tax model would spread building costs beyond property taxpayers, district presenters said; a half‑percent option and hybrid configurations were also described.

Board members generally supported staff outreach. Several trustees noted the political sensitivity of sales‑tax proposals and the importance of clear public education about how proceeds would be used; one trustee suggested explicitly including funding uses such as student resource officers and mental‑health professionals. Staff emphasized that if sufficient countywide support could not be secured by September, the district would consider a traditional referendum or issuing additional nonreferendum bonds instead.

No formal vote was taken; trustees instructed staff to begin conversations with superintendents and CFOs of neighboring districts and to return with findings. Staff also noted technical options, such as issuing working‑cash bonds without a referendum or refunding existing debt, but said each choice affects repayment timelines and interest costs.

Ending: District staff will approach other Winnebago County districts this summer and return to the board with commitments and a recommended timeline; the board gave no formal authorization to place any question on the ballot at this meeting.