(The Center Square) – Effingham County residents are sending a strong message to state and local officials: no new school taxes without a public vote.

After learning of a $57 million bond proposal by Effingham Unit 40 School District that could raise property taxes by up to 17%, local organizer Shannon McClurg helped lead a grassroots effort to stop it in its tracks.

Recommended Stories

• Former Russian transport minister Roman Starovoit found dead hours after dismissal
• Trump's crackdown on anti-Israel protests at colleges goes to trial
• New book breaks down why Kamala Harris picked Tim Walz instead of Josh Shapiro as running mate

“Our message was simple: you don’t get to raise our taxes without a referendum,” McClurg said. “It’s not about whether schools need repairs. We’re willing to talk about that. But you don’t get to bypass the voters.”

The community-driven petition campaign saw more than 100 volunteers go door-to-door, set up stations at local businesses, and spread the word online. McClurg turned in nearly 3,000 signatures where 1,500 were required.

The petition is to put the issue before the people during the next election.

“We didn’t have $30,000 in campaign donations like the group pushing the 1% sales tax in the past. We had $146, some grit, and neighbors helping neighbors,” McClurg said.

According to McClurg the school board is weighing whether to rescind the bonds or put them on the March 2026 ballot. If no resident objects, the board may drop the plan entirely.

WCIA reports Effingham School Board President Jim Welding issued a statement. 

“The district wishes to thank the community for its work on these petitions and for its interest in the district’s bonds and facilities work,” Welding said. “Going forward, the board will consider at an upcoming meeting whether to submit these bond propositions to the voters or whether to abandon these bonds and look for other ways to finance the district’s facilities needs.”

A 2024 law signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker raised the bar for triggering referendums on school borrowing. McClurg said she was shocked to hear about Unit 40 School District posting a notice of intent to issue two bonds.

“The community already voted down a 1% sales tax just months ago, and now they’re trying to raise property taxes without asking the voters,” said McClurg. 

The state’s $23.4 billion in school district debt statewide—about $12,600 per student, according to Wirepoints—is a major concern for McClurg. Many fear that making it easier to bypass voters will only worsen Illinois’ already high property tax burden, which is among the highest in the nation.

CHICAGO CRASHES AHEAD WITH ITS DESTRUCTIVE MINIMUM WAGE HIKES

“If it can happen here, it can happen anywhere,” McClurg warned. “And if other communities don’t stand up, they might not even know they’ve been taxed until the bill arrives.”

Critics say the law lets officials take on debt without voter input while supporters argue it streamlines school funding.