Kaneland board approves 2024 property tax levy as administrators lay out up-to-$140 million referendum options

The Kaneland Community Unit School District 302 Board of Education voted 7-0 to approve the district's 2024 property tax levy at a public hearing, authorizing a total levy of $72,653,050 (operating levy $60,280,000; bond and interest levy $12,353,050). The vote followed a brief public hearing and staff presentation explaining that, while the district's overall tax rate is slightly lower than last year, individual homeowners may see higher bills when their property values increase.

The approval came before a long presentation on a possible facilities referendum. District administrators and outside consultants described three bundled referendum scopes that would address aging infrastructure, safety and educational spaces. Wold Architects' Dan Bridal said the plan emerged from a 2019 master plan and subsequent tours and community feedback; the three scopes are organized around (1) infrastructure and modernizing learning environments, (2) site and athletic improvements including relocating maintenance and transportation, and (3) a field house and larger career-and-technical education repurposing. Bridal said the full three-scope package would total just over $140 million and stressed the concepts are still preliminary and would be refined with community input.

Financial advisers from PMA reviewed bond and restructuring options and illustrated homeowner impacts. PMA's analysis showed a menu of scenarios: a roughly $48.7 million proposal, a $79.5 million option, and the largest bundle near $140 million. For a $300,000 home, PMA estimated monthly bond-levy increases in some scenarios of about $8 in the first year and larger amounts in the second year unless the district restructures existing debt; if the district restructures current obligations to keep bond payments level, PMA estimated restructuring costs that would be repaid over time (examples given in the presentation). PMA also described statutory debt-margin calculations and the district's ability to use an exemption or hold hearings if needed.

Superintendent Dr. Bogan and referendum staff emphasized outreach: five town halls, more than 15 school events and surveys of staff (145 staff respondents) and community (156 respondents). Staff feedback prioritized safety, HVAC/mechanical systems and high-school facility needs; community responses showed a mix of support for doing comprehensive work now and concern about tax impacts. Dr. Rolling said administration found roughly $160,000 in budget savings tied to items the board approved on the consent agenda as part of fiscal sustainability work.

No referendum action was taken at the meeting. Administration told the board it must decide within about a week to meet county filing deadlines (staff noted the county filing window and that the first board meeting of 2025 is Jan. 13). Administration offered to provide more granular cost breakdowns, home-tax calculators and itemized scope lists to improve transparency before the board's decision.

Board members and residents asked questions about construction inflation, timing of bond sales, the district's strategy for restructuring existing debt to avoid immediate tax increases, and whether donations or sponsorships could offset costs. PMA cautioned timing and market risk (interest-rate changes between voter approval and bond sale) but noted options such as limited restructuring or extending repayment terms could be used to protect taxpayers' short-term payments.

Next steps: administration will produce additional cost detail and homeowner-impact calculators if the board elects to proceed; the board indicated it expects to vote on whether to place a referendum on the ballot at the next meeting in order to meet county filing deadlines.