CHAMPAIGN COUNTY — A public hearing in Champaign County was cut short Tuesday night after a man had a medical emergency at the podium.
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As reported on News Center 7 at 11:00, the Graham Local School Board is asking the county budget commission to change how it collects property taxes from people living in the district.
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However, no decision was made as the hearing was postponed out of respect for the man who fell to the ground and those in attendance.
The meeting lasted a little more than an hour, and the school board presented its argument as to why it thinks the district needs more money to operate.
The budget commission was able to ask them questions about it.
“The needs are real, okay, I’ve been in education 37 years, okay, this is my 37th year. The needs that we are seeing for public education are unlike anything you have ever seen before,” Karyl Strader, VP of Graham Local School Board of Education, said.
This Spring, voters said no when the district asked them to pass a one percent income tax levy.
Then last month, the district bypassed voters and approved a permanent improvement levy.
Some residents didn’t hold back their frustrations with the board Tuesday night.
“I say the people spoke clearly in May, they said no to higher taxes, no to backdoor financial tactics, and no to government without accountability,” Austin Dunn said.
Before the meeting, News Center 7’s Taylor Robertson talked with the Champaign County Prosecutor.
He said the school board decided to change the millage, and that changes the amount of money the district can get from taxes.
The budget commission must approve the district’s request, which is why they held the hearing.
Board of Education members explained why the district needs more money.
“Kids are coming with higher needs than they have ever had. We need our general fund money; we desperately need our general fund money to educate kids. We need paraprofessionals that can help in the classroom, we can’t do that when our general fund money is being spent on buses (and) HVAC systems,” Strader said.
The budget commission responded, and so did some in the crowd.
“This board has doubled down on a broken system that punishes taxpayers and undermines public trust,” Dunn said.
The room was divided on what the board wanted, but then it suddenly became trivial when a man speaking at the podium collapsed.
People in the crowd and deputies started CPR. When medics arrived, he was awake and talking.
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
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