Message has been sent to Oak Park

In last week's election, the 24 percent tax increase for Oak Park schools failed, while the 17 percent increase passed.

Now that it's been proven that school tax increases can be defeated, we must be extra vigilant that no further attempt is made in November to reverse B6, the bond measure that failed.

Twelve million dollars was sought for updating Brookside Elementary. For comparison, the entire St. Maximilian Kolbe Church complex was built for about $12 million.

Supposedly, property values are linked to the school system but it is not the infrastructure that attracts families or that gets such high ratings. Rather, it is the small town atmosphere- 230 per graduating class-the athletic programs and the socioeconomic homogeneity of the student body where 98 percent go on to college.

Just as enrollment is falling, so, too, is the percentage of homes with school kids. Retirees and residents with no kids now have the power to block the financially excessive (41 percent) mentality of the school board.

Taxpayers resent kids from elsewhere getting a semi-free ride in our schools.

If nonresident students want to come here, let their parents contribute to the Community Foundation an amount equal to the tax their parents are escaping.

Remembering that Oak Park has declining enrollment, I suspect B6 was like refinancing a house to add bedrooms after some of the kids have gone off to college-better to do a modest remodeling with available cash than mess with the mortgage. How many of us have refinanced for cash out or a lower rate, only to realize that we have also extended the term of payments and the total amount of interest we will pay.

Seventeen percent is enough. Now let's pay off the current bond as scheduled and then discuss something reasonable. Glen Wilcox Oak Park