Because of the massive debt in Illinois and gridlock in Springfield, Illinois schools need to find ways to be less reliant on revenue from the State.  Over the last six years, Madison County Schools have suffered tens of millions of dollars in lost revenue from the State of Illinois.
The County School Facilities Sales Tax (CSFT) is an alternative revenue source that shifts AWAY from relying on property taxes for local school district funding . A 2007 state law allowed voters to approve a sales tax to fund school facility needs. The sales tax is 1% (or one cent on every dollar) spent on qualifying retail purchases.  49 counties in Illinois have passed the CSFT to benefit their schools and communities.  In the November 2016 election, eight counties put CSFT on the ballot, and all eight counties passed the measure.

THE SALES TAX REVENUES CAN ONLY BE USED FOR:

• Additions and renovations
• Remodeling school facilities
• Safety and security improvements
• Roof repairs
• Energy efficiency (HVAC, Windows, etc)
• General maintenance
• Paying of building bonds
• Parking lots
• Technology infrastructure
• New construction

THE SALES TAX REVENUES CANNOT BE USED FOR OPERATING COSTS SUCH AS:

• Salaries and benefits
• Instructional costs
• Textbooks and computers
• Moveable equipment
• School buses
• Operating costs

Unlike many types of sales tax, the CSFT does not affect items that many people think to be essential to families, and especially, senior citizens. If it’s not currently taxed it will not be taxed under CSFT.

ITEMS NOT TAXED:

• Cars, trucks, ATV’s boats, and RV or mobile homes
• Unprepared food (groceries)
• Medicine including prescriptions drugs and over-the-counter drugs
• Farm equipment, parts and farm inputs
• If it is not currently taxed, it will not be taxed