Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Pecatonica Education Referendum Committee Fined $2,575
West of Rockford is Pecatonica Unit School District 321. There was a rate increase referendum this past spring for 65 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. It passed by 70-some votes.
Taxes increased by about $300-$400 a home.
The school board used the same scorched earth policy that McHenry County Blog found in Carpentersville District 300 this past spring and, by threatening to shorten the school day, went even further. The Rockford Register-Star reported,
But these tax hikers, whether through incompetence or deliberate strategy, refused to tell who was paying for their campaign until after the election.
Now, they have been fined $2,575 and the committee has paid the fine, according to its final report.
Jeffrey M Sterling, 625 Main St., Pecatonica, IL 61063, is listed as chairman and treasurer of the political action committee, called the Pecatonica Education Referendum Committee. (It even used to have a web site, which now links to Interactive Pecatonica and PecWeb.)
On the internet, I found Sterling is senior vice president of German-American State Bank and was a 2004 member of the Pecatonica Improvement Association
Sterling didn’t file a statement of organization until March 22nd.
That was the day after the primary election.
Isn’t that special?
Or, as the Laugh-In character would say, "V-e-r-y I-n-t-e-r-s-t-i-n-g."
That’s the same day they filed their pre-election committee report saying they had collected $5,300 in reportable contributions by February 19th. As the title of the report suggests, this report is due before the election.
According to the committee’s final report, it collected only $270 after Feb. 19th.
Of that amount only $70 came from small contributors.
The group started out with $1,490 on February 1st. We won’t ever know where that came from because state law does not require the first $3,000 donated to a committee to be made public.
But we do know who donated the next $5,500:
Three seem to be homebuilders, a pretty typical contributor where the potential perception of poor schools might dampen their market:
I have done a bit of research on how much that tax exempt organizations may donate to referendums. (Yes, believe it or not, it is legal!) If a foundation contributes 16% of annual income (I believe), they are in danger of losing their tax exempt status. 10% seems to be OK, however.
One is a local business:
Taxes increased by about $300-$400 a home. The school board used the same scorched earth policy that McHenry County Blog found in Carpentersville District 300 this past spring and, by threatening to shorten the school day, went even further. The Rockford Register-Star reported,
District officials plan to cut extra-curricular activities, including sports, and teachers if the increase doesn’t pass.But the Pecatonica tax hike committee spent only $7,060 to win the day, while my calculations indicate District 300 spent about $200,000.
But these tax hikers, whether through incompetence or deliberate strategy, refused to tell who was paying for their campaign until after the election.
Now, they have been fined $2,575 and the committee has paid the fine, according to its final report.
Jeffrey M Sterling, 625 Main St., Pecatonica, IL 61063, is listed as chairman and treasurer of the political action committee, called the Pecatonica Education Referendum Committee. (It even used to have a web site, which now links to Interactive Pecatonica and PecWeb.)
On the internet, I found Sterling is senior vice president of German-American State Bank and was a 2004 member of the Pecatonica Improvement Association
Sterling didn’t file a statement of organization until March 22nd.
That was the day after the primary election.Isn’t that special?
Or, as the Laugh-In character would say, "V-e-r-y I-n-t-e-r-s-t-i-n-g."
That’s the same day they filed their pre-election committee report saying they had collected $5,300 in reportable contributions by February 19th. As the title of the report suggests, this report is due before the election.
According to the committee’s final report, it collected only $270 after Feb. 19th.
Of that amount only $70 came from small contributors.
The group started out with $1,490 on February 1st. We won’t ever know where that came from because state law does not require the first $3,000 donated to a committee to be made public.
But we do know who donated the next $5,500:
Three seem to be homebuilders, a pretty typical contributor where the potential perception of poor schools might dampen their market:2/6/6 - $200, Donald & Nancy Miller of Don Miller Construction, Pecatonica,These may well be a Pecatonica school vendor--part owners of an employment benefits firm and the firm itself. The firm says it has “40 school districts” as clients.
2/13/6 - $1,000, Contry Homes of Illinois, Rockford
2/13/6 - $1,000, Three Hammer Construction, Rockford
2/1/6 – $300, Gary and Mary Buettner, PecatonicaTwo are that seem to be connected with the school district:
2/1/6 – $2,000, Miller & Buettner, Inc., Winnebago.
2/1/6 – $2,000, Pecatonica Education FoundationThe Foundation is not registered with the Charitable Trusts Division of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, but is registered with the IRS. Presumably, that allows contributors to make tax deductible donations.
2/3/6 – $500, Pecatonica Fan’s Club
I have done a bit of research on how much that tax exempt organizations may donate to referendums. (Yes, believe it or not, it is legal!) If a foundation contributes 16% of annual income (I believe), they are in danger of losing their tax exempt status. 10% seems to be OK, however.One is a local business:
3/6/6 - $200, Express America of Rockford, a trucking firmThere was an opposition group called Citizens for Educational Fiscal Responsibility, chaired by Ken Schroepfer. That's probably why the referendum was so close.
