Wirepoints has an article relating how Illinois Democrats made it possible for school boards to build new schools without referendum approval.
It focuses on a fight in Effingham.
New Illinois law makes it tougher for voters to block school district borrowings/tax hikes. Effingham good example
Taxpayers can still force a referendum by petition, but they only have thirty days. Locally districts have set the start of that thirty-day period in December, when it’s pretty tough to go door-to-door.
Here are the outstanding debts for McHenry County School Districts as of 2024:

















