Buildings went poor on this watch. Trust is the issue.

Facilities

District officials said 17 of 22 schools rated poor on a facility condition index. More than 70% of buildings went up between 2001 and 2008 — the last bond boom — and now need system replacement at once. That is deferred maintenance after twenty years of growth taxes.

Staffing

Licensed administrators, federal NCES + district workshop:

• Blended Illinois Report Card ratio (~151 students per administrator vs. statewide ~135) mixes principals with downtown. Do not use it as “they’re lean.”
• Split: roughly 30 district administrators and 90+ school administrators on ~16,800 students / 22 buildings (NCES 2024–25: 30.00 district, 92.80 school, 16,766 students).
• Nearby unit districts of similar or larger size run fewer central-office licensed administrators per student. Indian Prairie 204, with 26,108 students, reported 25 district administrators and 60.5 school administrators.
• FY26 district workshop: school administrators 77 → 86; “district office personnel” 147.6 → 106.8. They cut some downtown FTE and added building admin in the same year enrollment is below peak.

Who is asking

• Superintendent Andalib Khelghati started July 1, 2023 from Evanston/Skokie D65 (HR).
• CFO/CSBO Raphael Obafemi hired July 31, 2023 from D65 (finance).
• D65’s last year under that finance team closed with an unexpected multi-million deficit after years of “Recognition” ratings; after they left, D65 posted further shortfalls and a structural-deficit plan. That does not prove 308 is D65. It is the CFO’s most recent prior job.
• 308 search materials asked for diversity-focused leadership. The district’s own hire announcement emphasized biography and inclusion. The cabinet includes an assistant superintendent originally titled Equity & Engagement. A 2026 equity roadmap still prioritizes recruitment and advancement of staff with “diverse backgrounds.” Bond cash cannot fund that. The operating levy already does.

State aid

308 dropped from Evidence-Based Funding Tier 1 to Tier 2 — an ~$8 million state-aid hit. That pressure is on operations, not a reason to confuse a capital vote with a tax cut.

You can believe the HVAC is tired and still vote no because you do not trust this administration with another 20-year note.