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Politics & Government

Wilmette Parent: Vote 'Yes' for District 39 Referendum

What do you think of the proposed referendum?

Amy Dillon is a Wilmette resident and parent with a child who attends New Trier High School. 

Our continued investment in our schools plays a major role in maintaining Wilmette property values.

A friend asked for advice about where to relocate on the North Shore. She asked because I have a District 39 graduate, now a sophomore at New Trier. She asked if it really mattered which feeder district she settled in. I absolutely think so.  

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When you chose to live here, a fair number of you picked Wilmette for the schools. Ask any realtor. School quality is central to real estate value. If our electorate only hears the label “tax increase” and therefore fails to support the schools with this referendum, potential home buyers will go elsewhere. Realtors are saying it’s already started to happen in the last few weeks.

My friend investigated schools, from Lake Forest to Evanston, gathering opinions and facts. I was not surprised she chose Wilmette. She made this choice based on the very class size, teachers and programs this referendum seeks to support.

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Because we’ve consistently invested in them, Wilmette schools are valuable to our children AND our property values. Our schools are not perfect but they belong to all of us. Let’s protect our real estate nest eggs. Can we really not afford $13.57 per week for an average yearly tax bill of $12,000? Vote Yes on April 5. One of your friends may be trying to sell a house!

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