Cook County school leaders press board over delayed tax distributions tied to software rollout
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Summary
Superintendents and school finance officials told the Cook County Board that delayed property-tax billing and distributions tied to a Tyler Technologies system upgrade cost districts millions in lost interest and borrowing costs and urged accountability, clearer communication and reparations.
Dozens of suburban school leaders told the Cook County Board of Commissioners that a county tax‑system implementation and subsequent delays left districts scrambling to meet payroll and education needs.
"My district alone has lost nearly $1,000,000 in lost interest investments," said Ben Collins, superintendent for Parkridge Niles School District 64, during the public‑comment period. Diana McCluskey, chief school business official for Community Consolidated School District 15, told commissioners her district manages a $225,000,000 budget and that the December delay and resulting shortfalls cost her district about $2,000,000 when counting borrowing costs and lost interest.
Superintendents across the suburbs described a mix of emergency measures: issuing tax anticipation warrants, early redemption of investments and drawing down reserve balances. Terry Lobello, Worth Township school treasurer, said pooled accounts forced liquidation of more than $150,000,000 in bonds and estimated more than $6,700,000 in lost future earnings across the districts he manages.
Speakers repeatedly urged the county to improve communication with taxing bodies and to provide a timeline and reparations. "We need reimbursement for the expenses we have had to absorb from issuing $25,000,000 of tax anticipation warrants," McCluskey said.
Commissioners acknowledged the frustration. Commissioner Britton said the county is not a monolith and noted that separately elected offices — including the Treasurer — are involved, but he pledged continued attention and meetings with superintendents. Commissioner Kevin Morrison, chair of the Technology and Innovation Committee, urged separately elected bodies to brief the committee and said the board is committed to ensuring the disruption does not recur.
The public complaints centered on three recurring asks: (1) a clear accounting of what went wrong with the county's tax‑billing rollout, (2) a reliable distribution schedule for collected tax dollars and (3) consideration of compensation or reimbursement for documented district losses. Several speakers named Tyler Technologies — the vendor involved in the county's new tax system — as a factor in the delays. The board did not adopt any immediate reparations plan during the meeting; commissioners said staff and committees would continue follow‑up work and meetings with affected taxing bodies.
The board moved on to its regular agenda after public comment; multiple items were later approved by roll call.
