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Residents urge Winfield board to stop appeals, decry rising legal costs
Summary
Several residents used the public comment period to urge the Winfield School District 34 board to drop its legal appeal over a TIF-related matter and to redirect tax dollars toward schools. Speakers raised concerns about growing legal costs and potential damage to the district's image.
Multiple residents addressed the board during the public comment period July 30, focusing on the district's ongoing legal actions related to a local tax increment financing (TIF) issue.
Lynn Kadolph said she supports the board's appeal of a lower court ruling but told the board, "I would rather have more taxpayer money go towards the school and not to an oversized police department for the size of our town." Elizabeth Vassolo said she was "not sure why there is even a lawsuit" and that seeing legal costs grow angers her; she urged spending on community enrichment. Bernard Bartelli told the board, "Please stop this nonsense of continue to block the TIF! You lost in court yet you continue to appeal just to delay the process," and warned that continuing to appeal harms both the village and the district and damages the board's image.
The minutes record these comments but do not show any direct response from the board during the meeting. No legal briefing or staff presentation about the TIF or the appeal is included in the minutes; the public commenters characterized the continuing appeal as costly and damaging to the district's reputation.
