Another bond issue is unnecessary in OPUSD, board president says
By Michael Picarella
Acorn Staff Writer

Oak Park is now just reaching the end of a $40 million bond issue approved by voters in 1977 when Oak Park Unified School District (OPUSD) was born. According to Jim Kalember, president of OPUSD’s board of education, there’s enough money left for an emergency.

OPUSD is experiencing difficulty in finishing all of its projects. Is another bond issue a possibility? Will Oak Park homeowners be asked to approve another jump in property taxes?

According Kalember, they won’t have to. The board, he said, has no need to seek more funding from voters in Oak Park.

"We haven’t gone to the voters since the 70s," said Kalember.

Money has been withdrawn from the $40 million 10 separate times through the years as the district required the funds. OPUSD would draw from the $40 million as needed.

Last July, according to Superintendent Marilyn Lippiatt, the board refinanced and took out the last $6 million from the original bond issue. Martin Klauss, assistant superintendent of business and administrative services, said that the $6 million was earmarked for previous improvements at Medea Creek Middle School and Oak Park High School. The funds will also go to upcoming projects at the high school and at Brookside Elementary School.

Paul Luttrell, chairman of the Oak Park Theater Building Committee, on several occasions mentioned that he’d like to go to voters for funding of the $5 million theater that he envisions, if OPUSD agreed. Boardmember Jan Iceland urged him not to pursue it on grounds that it would create a battle between his committee and the OPUSD board.

Kalember mentioned if the committee decided to push for a bond issue, that it would be independent from OPUSD, even though the theater would be located on the Oak Park High School campus.

Kalember said that Oak Park has never been unsuccessful when applying for a bond or refinancing for additional installments from the original bond. When asked what he thought the result would be if the theater committee pushed for a bond, Kalember declined to speculate.

Most affected would be new homeowners. The lowest property taxes are those of residents who bought homes in the 70s. Newer homeowners pay substantially more. And a new bond issue would require even more.

About $28 million remains to repaid on the existing bond issue. According to Klauss, the balance won’t be paid off until 2018.

Regarding school projects, Kalember said they’ll be completed no matter what. The problem is setting priorities. OPUSD plans to get funding from the state and not the people.

In terms of the theater committee, other funding options may be the only alternative.

Committee members want a theater, but apparently are facing a tough time finding funding sources.