Voters rejected a $90.6 million bond referendum for Winnetka District 36 on Tuesday night.
With 11 of 11 precincts reporting, 1,250 “yes” votes were cast (36.75 percent) and 2,151 “no” votes were received (63.25 percent), according to the unofficial results from the Cook County Clerk.
If the measure had been approved, the burden for paying for the additional bonds would have fallen almost entirely on Winnetka property taxpayers. The district estimated the owner of a home valued at $1 million would have seen a $276 per year increase in property taxes.
The additional tax revenue was earmarked to go toward improvements at various District 36 buildings, including three 100-year-old buildings. The work includes updating facilities, improving accessibility and upgrading infrastructure, including HVAC, mechanical, electrical and plumbing.
Winnetka District 36 has seen its enrollment fall by 13 percent over the past 20 years while school tax bills for homeowners are still climbing fast -- up 29 percent, from $19,580 per student in 1997-1998 to $25,180 in 2017-2018, adjusted for inflation, according to a recent analysis by the North Cook News.
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