A place for School District 41 board candidate Dan Smith, Jr. to post his thoughts and answer your questions.

Good Evening,

I just wanted to let you all know an article was published in the Daily Herald that was a result of the group interview we all had with them a couple of weeks ago, along with some follow up phone conversations they had with us. The article is linked here.

As always, my website, www.DanSmithJr.com is available with my thoughts on the issues that affect District 41. Feel free to email me directly at dan@dansmithjr.com or post here for all to enjoy.

As a reminder, early voting is available at the Glen Ellyn Civic Center, 535 Duane Ave., Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 during the following dates:

Monday through Thursday, April 2nd

Tuesday and Wednesday: 8:30am to 4pm
Thursday: 8:30am to 7pm

If you are unable to make those times, then you will still be able to vote on Tuesday, April 7th. If you are unsure of your polling place for April 7th, then please visit vote411.org.


Thanks!

Dan Smith, Jr.

As we head into the home stretch towards Election 2009 . . . appreciate the link to the Daily Herald article on the District 41 candidates, and their positions vis-à-vis district finances.

Kudos to you, Dan, and contenders Drew Ellis and Jack Kahler for thoughtful, cogent, straightforward answers not only in response to this piece, but for the manner in which you have reached out to constituents over the entire course of the campaign.

Unfortunately, it’s hard to make the same case with incumbents, John Kenwood and Terra Costa-Howard.

Yet again, in what has been a pattern throughout this election cycle, voters have little understanding of Kenwood’s position on a critical matter since he chose “not to respond to calls seeking comment on district finances.”

Costa-Howard did respond, but her answers . . . reproduced below . . . do nothing more than display an inadequate grasp of the facts, and, more alarmingly, how out of touch she continues to be on the subject.

To wit:

“We’ve been fortunate in our budgeting; our investments have also done much better than anticipated.”

“We may not need to cut as deeply as other districts because we’ve done such a good job of handling finances.”

Somebody talk me off the ledge . . . please.

District 41 is rolling in dough with $9 million in cash reserves for one reason, and one reason only. Since the 2001 phase-in, it has collected $76 million in referendum dollars . . . almost half of which, $32.8 million, was never authorized by taxpayers. (This data was procured by Michael Lynch, from the most recent tax extension figures made available through the county clerk’s office as of March 27, 2009.)

Once again, I will be the broken record, and stress that, to date, that is $32.8 million over and above . . . in excess of . . . in addition to $43.2 million, which the District asked for in its referendum request, which voters did in fact approve, and which the District has also collected over the past 9 tax years.

What was represented to voters in 2001 as a $3.7 million per year tax increase . . . to hire approximately 30 additional certified staff which did not include any administrators, by the way . . . would today be generating $5.8 million without the phase-in. With it, District 41 has been able to ramp up its take to the tune of $11.9 million this past year alone . . . of which $6.1 million, more than half, is the phase-in bonanza.

The only reason current reserves aren’t even more bloated than a “paltry $9 million” is the unbridled, unparalleled and unconscionable spending spree that the District has been on since it finagled its way into our wallets in 2001.

With apologies to suzie and others who think it’s time to “put the past behind us” and “let bygones be bygones” . . . District 41’s admittedly enviable fiscal position has zero, nada, nothing to do with its “good job of handling finances.”

It has everything to do with the Administration/Board majority’s disgraceful willingness to continue to be complicit in, and the beneficiary of, an unmitigated form of consumer fraud that Bernie Madoff and Charles Ponzi would envy.

Vote Ellis, Kahler and Smith on April 7.

ditto, Melbourne. Thanks.
V.O.I.P.

I've been a long time lurker with more time for reading than writing. I can't keep up with the humor around here.

Anyway, I can't believe no one came up with a good tag line like they had the last school board election. I believe it was 'Vote for Ak-Ak' in reference to Bob SolAK and Steve VondrAK.

When I go to the booth on tuesday, I am going to remember who to vote for with, SMELKA.

SMith
ELlis
KAhler

Vote for change, vote for SMELKA.

now, back to lurking.

I also spend more time lurking and reading than posting.

After reading up on the candidate responses to questionnaires, I did notice another financial issue that the incumbent, Terra Costa Howard, differed from the other challengers. It was her support for the DuPage County Board to approve the creation of a new sales tax for school districts.

Question 23: Recent Illinois law allows counties to create a sales tax revenue stream that is earmarked only for school construction/capital projects and is proportioned amongst county school districts based solely upon student enrollment numbers (i.e. it is not means-tested). Would you, as Board member, support or oppose D41 calling on the County Board to approve creation of such a tax?

As four of the five candidates will be elected, if you are only deciding who NOT to vote for, here is another tag line to remember.

TERRA = NEW SALES TAX

I would like to offer a special thanks to all who supported my campaign, put the word out, or simply just voted for me.

As you can see from the results, every vote counts and I appreciate those of you that put forth the extra effort to go to the polls and vote.

I look forward to the challenges ahead and will always be ready to listen to the community.

Thanks again,

Dan Smith, Jr.

Congrats, Dan. That was....uh.....a close victory.

Well, maybe if you didn't live on a dead end street my signs might have gotten better visibility. Look at Fan, for instance. He has some prime real estate for signs.

Congrats Dan! I think you will be a great asset to the D41 Board. BTW, do you want me to return your sign?

Thanks scotty!

I've picked up some of them and others have gotten the rest. Unfortunately, I will not be able to make another sign run until Monday.

I can get it then as well as amy others if you can hold out that long.

Dan