By Howard Packowitz
PEORIA, Ill. (25 News) – Incoming Peoria Public Schools board member Andres Diaz will be taking the district to court on the same day he’s scheduled to be sworn into office, along with Sarah Howard.
The dispute is whether PPS gave proper notice to a pair of meetings set for noon on Wednesday. One of the sessions is for the swearing in of two new members and the selection of a board president. The other is a meeting that has on its agenda a resolution backing a November referendum to double a sales tax to aid Peoria County public schools.
The proposed referendum is on the meeting’s consent agenda, which the board can approve a series of items at the same time and without discussion.
In his lawsuit, Diaz said it’s illegal for a sales tax vote to be placed on the consent agenda. Also, Diaz contends the public did not receive proper notice of a “regular meeting” on the district’s website.
Diaz said on his Facebook page that he’s taking legal action in the interests of “good government and transparency.”
In the lawsuit, Diaz said if the meeting is held on Wednesday, he’ll suffer irreparable harm including “loss of rights and improper decisions.”
The district has much less to lose, according to Diaz because board members have until Aug. 17 to put the sales tax question on the November ballot.
The court hearing is scheduled Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. before Peoria County Judge James Mack.
If the judge agrees with Diaz, the board member-elect said the referendum can be debated at a future board meeting to allow for a “robust public discussion.”
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