A Deeper Dive into the Junior High Referendum
On the ballot for Mahomet voters this fall is an $84 million school referendum regarding new construction of a junior high on property already owned by the School District. Residents will vote on this referendum in person on November 3 or via early voting, which began in Mahomet on October 19.
In 2024, voters rejected a school referendum that proposed building a new elementary school and new junior high, repairing Lincoln Trail Elementary, and completing various other construction and renovation projects, at a cost of $112.8 million (Illinois Public Media). Two referenda were presented in 2022, one at $97.7 million and one at $59.4 million, both of which failed (News-Gazette).
The current referendum has been presented as a solution for overcrowding at the existing junior high that will not require a tax rate increase. The school district has an FAQ page that explains many aspects of the referendum.
As you prepare to vote, we hope to help you understand how the School Board arrived at the decision to present this referendum, what it really means for residents of Mahomet and their tax bills, and what the future of schools in a growing community looks like.
What Has Changed from Previous Referenda Before putting this referendum on the ballot, the school district conducted a survey of residents, which helped shape the referendum on the current ballot. The survey was completed by 2,245 people, 80% of whom favored a new junior high with no tax rate change.
The current referendum is thus dramatically different from the 2024 referendum. It includes only the construction of a new junior high and is nearly $30 million cheaper. And because the school district is two years closer to maturity on an existing bond, the district has access to funds that it did not in 2024. (Bonds that were issued in connection to the Fieldhouse at the high school will be paid off soon. Should the referendum pass, the district would issue new bonds at the same rate it is paying on the bonds that are maturing.)
These factors, along with increased sales tax revenue, mean that the current referendum includes no tax rate increase to residents.
Tell Me More About Taxes The amount you pay in property taxes, in its simplest form, is determined by multiplying the value of your property times the tax rate, a number figured annually by each government body you pay taxes to. *See below this article for a more detailed explanation of this calculation.
With this referendum, the school district will be able to borrow money for a new junior high without increasing the tax rate. But your property taxes could still increase if the value of your property increases, as it has on most homes in recent years. Still, this is the first of recent referendums the District has proposed that did not include a tax rate increase.
So, if the referendum does not pass, would property taxes actually decrease when the existing bonds are paid off in 2028? In theory, they could.
However, the School Board has suggested that, if the referendum fails, they will likely be forced to use a different type of debt to address overcrowding in the current junior high. While constructing new buildings requires a referendum, renovation of existing buildings does not. And estimates from the District’s architect show that it could cost as much to renovate the existing building as to build a new one. The community could end up paying just as much for a renovated old building as for a new one, while also making it much harder to educate students during the renovation process.
In other words, it is unlikely that rejecting the referendum would result in a lower tax rate.
What Does the Future Look Like? The proposed junior high has a projected capacity of 900-1100 students, with the junior high community currently counted at 811. (The existing junior high building was built for 615 students.) The final capacity of a new building can only be determined when real costs of construction (interest rates, raw materials, etc.) are budgeted.
The range 900-1100 also accounts for flexibility in room utilization, class sizes, and the potential for later classroom wing additions built into the construction plans.
The board projects that the proposed junior high construction would secure room for a growing population for at least 20 years.
Learn More
Consult the CUSD #3 website for their overview of the proposal, FAQ, and more
Tour the current Junior High and ask questions at an Open House hosted by the School District on Wednesday, October 21 (7 p.m., 201 W. State Street)
Attend a Public Q&A at the Mahomet Public Library on Monday, October 26 (7 p.m., 1702 E. Oak Street) for a final opportunity to learn more. Superintendent Kenny Lee will be in attendance to answer questions.
How to Vote Vote early beginning October 19 at the Lake of the Woods Pavilion
M-F 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Sat 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Sun 1-4 p.m.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. Polling places in Mahomet include:
Lake of the Woods Pavilion (109 S. Lake of the Woods Road)
Grace Church (800 W. Oak Street)
Mahomet Public Library (1702 E. Oak Street)
Learn about voting by mail here.
