Engineering firm contributes to Gurnee schools referendum

A third construction-related business has provided $1,000 to backers of a Gurnee Elementary District 56 ballot question seeking permission to borrow $28.5 million mostly to build a new school in Wadsworth.

Black Engineering Co. Inc. of Lake Forest made the most recent donation to Citizens for District 56 Schools. Black's $1,000 gift was logged Oct. 20, according to state campaign finance disclosure records.

On Oct. 13, a combined $2,000 was given to the proponents by Frederick Quinn Corp. and Fanning/Howey Associates Inc. Fanning/Howey is an architecture, engineering and design firm, while Quinn Corp. handles construction management.

Voters will decide Tuesday whether to let District 56 borrow the $28.5 million. Most of the money would go toward the new Wadsworth building and allow District 56 to leave flood-prone Gurnee Grade School near the Des Plaines River.

In a pre-election filing with the state for the period July 1 to Oct. 3, Citizens for District 56 Schools listed total receipts of $4,055.

Of that amount, a combined $2,500 came from the Gurnee Federation of Teachers and Lake County Federation of Teachers unions on Sept. 20. Cabay & Co. of McHenry, an office-supply business, provided $1,000 to the “vote-yes” group on Sept. 21.

Documents did not show total expenditures or funds available at the close of the July 1 to Oct. 3 reporting period for Citizens for District 56 Schools.

Concerned Citizens, an opposition group headed by Warren Township resident Shawn Depke, isn't required to file paperwork with the state because it purportedly has not raised or spent more than $3,000 in a 12-month period.

Depke said the contributions from the unions and businesses to Citizens for District 56 Schools are an example of “pay-to-play.” By comparison, he said, his group doesn't have any money to speak of and uses old “vote no” signs.

Carrie Kocen, of Citizens for District 56 Schools, said the real question should be about Depke's opposition group not filing documents with the state board of elections.

“We are following all the rules and are being asked all the questions,” Kocen said. “Why aren't the people not following the rules being asked why they are not? Who are their contributors and why haven't they followed the same rules we have?”

David Morrison, deputy director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform watchdog organization, said in a recent interview companies with a vested interest shouldn't contribute to proponents of school ballot measures for construction.

“They have a clear conflict of interest,” said Morrison, adding voters should take into account the contributions as they decide whether to approve the $28.5 million borrowing request.

Figures show District 56's bond-and-interest fund tax rate for property owners would mostly hold steady if voters approve the $28.5 million request, although they would pay off debt for a longer period of time.

Officials say about $15 million in debt would be repaid by 2015. Payments made on that loan would then be used to cover the new debt.

An owner of a $300,000 home this year will pay about $495 toward the district's bond and interest fund. That would decline to $420 in 2011 and reach $462 in 2016 if the ballot measure is approved.

Rejection of the borrowing question means an owner of a $300,000 home would pay a slightly higher $525 to the bond-and-interest fund in 2011, but it will decline to $207 in 2016, according to District 56.