Diamond Lake 76 board directs regional superintendent to certify 1% county sales-and-service tax question for Nov. 2026 ballot

The Diamond Lake School District 76 Board of Education voted to direct the regional superintendent to certify a proposition to the Lake County clerk that would place a 1% retailer's occupation and service occupation tax on the November 2026 ballot, with revenue to be used for school facility purposes, school resource officers and mental health professionals.

Chair (speaker 1) read a formal resolution citing statutory authority and moved that the board transmit the proposition to the regional superintendent for certification. The chair clarified during discussion that the vote was to place the question before county voters — not to impose a tax directly — and that approval would require voter majority on the proposition at the election.

The resolution, read in full by the chair, references county school facility occupation tax authority (section 5-1,006.7 as read aloud in the meeting) and defines eligible school facility uses (acquisition, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, repairs, accessibility and specified fire/safety or energy conservation projects). The board made a motion to approve the resolution and proceeded with the required procedural steps for certification.

What happens next: the board will sign the resolution on the record (a board member requested the physical signing because the meeting was recorded), and the regional superintendent will be asked to certify the proposition to the Lake County clerk for inclusion on the November 2026 general-election ballot. Voter approval would be required for the tax to take effect and for proceeds to be used as described.

Provenance: The board’s reading of the resolution and the motion to certify the proposition are documented in the transcript beginning with the chair’s read-aloud of the resolution language and the subsequent motion (topicintro: SEG 449; topfinish: SEG 539).