School boards must lead in pension control

Is anybody listening?

The Sunday, June 21, Daily Herald contained reports on school district spending on new and worthwhile programs, but there was no mention of school boards taking action to do their part to reduce the financial problems of the state of Illinois and those facing local taxpayers.

It's encouraging to see the expansion of dual language programs in District 21 and technical upgrades for classroom technology in U46, but where's the focus on controlling spending and helping reduce the state's overwhelming pension responsibilities?

School boards across the Northwest suburbs consistently make decisions when they negotiate labor contracts and set budgets that are ignoring their responsibility to slow steadily increasing property taxes and reduce overwhelming pension costs. They're just not listening.

If our elected representatives on the school board will not take the lead in controlling costs, who will?

Willard Bishop

Barrington Hills