(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A north suburban high school district plans even more drastic cuts in programming and extra-curricular activities, now that voters have rejected a property tax increase.
Even before this week’s election, Warren Township High School District 121 had plans to cut 15 positions for the next school year because of budget problems. Supt. John Ahlgrim said, over the past six years, 66 positions have been cut, causing class sizes to increase.
Tuesday, voters rejected a referendum that would have increased property taxes an average of $240 a year on a house valued at $200,000. That would have amounted to about $7.75 million a year.
Supt. Ahlgrim said people should expect more cuts to class offerings, sports and fine arts in the coming years, with all sports gone by the 2023-24 school year.
"We won’t be able to maintain our current programming that we have, so there’s no question that it’s challenging,” he said.
It’s possible the school board may ask voters again next year to approve a tax increase, he added.
Warren Township High School has 4,200 students and serves all or parts of Gurnee, Waukegan, Grayslake, Gages Lake and other suburbs.
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