Out-of-district students are a taxing problem





I find it interesting Mr. Irwin feels if we do not support an additional $29 million in property taxes for the Oak Park school system, we are then not supporting the community.

Additionally, it’s equally interesting Mr. Ross feels courses such as physics and foreign languages will need to be eliminated since apparently there won’t be any more than six to 20 students remaining in our schools to enroll in such courses.

If so few students remain without the addition of those from outside our community, perhaps the time has come to close all of the schools and bus the remaining six to 20 Oak Park kids to another school district.

If Mr. Irwin and Mr. Ross don’t care for that proposal, maybe it’s time to enact a fee for out-of-area students attending our schools. Based on the quality of our educational programs, I would think a fee of $1,000 to $2,000 per student annually would not be unreasonable.

As I stated in a previous letter, I for one am sick and tired of being assessed a new and higher property tax each and every year, disguised as an add-on to avoid Prop 13 guidelines. If this trend continues, sooner or later many Oak Park residents will be forced to sell their homes and leave the community due to an out-of-control property tax burden.

How much is enough? Certain politicians have stated that they just don’t know at what point taxes will be too high. Is the number 50 percent, 70 percent or 80 percent? You be the judge.
Art Guy
Oak Park



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