K-12 Illinois public school facilities need to be repaired and rebuilt. The County School Facility Occupation Tax (CSFT) was made law in 2007 in Illinois to help provide funding for Illinois public school facilities. This single case study, qualitative research, outlines findings from 86, face-to- face, phone and email interviews and approximately 79 documents analyzed related to the CSFT in initiative in Mary County, (a pseudonym) Illinois. Through interviews and analyzed documents, five themes emerge related to why the CSFT did not pass on Election Day in Mary County in 2011. Themes ranged from lack of collaboration among school officials and use of the CSFT revenue unclear, to a lack of consideration of others, no opportunity for input and distrust of the process. With such a need for new and improved school facilities and the added burden of school funding being such a confusing and misunderstood topic, school leaders must find ways to effectively communicate with and encourage voters to pass school funding initiatives like the CSFT sales tax.