Charleston, IL…The issue of funding K-12 schools is heating up around the state given the fact the Democrat controlled legislature has yet to send Governor Rauner their education funding proposal (SB1) approved in late May. SB 1 is not good news for central and southern Illinois schools as they would lose out on millions to Chicago schools if the bill were signed into law. State Representative Reggie Phillips (R-Charleston) voted against SB 1, calling it a “bailout for Chicago public schools.”
“Taking nearly $2.5 million from schools I represent and sending our tax dollars to Chicago was easy enough for me to vote against SB 1,” said Rep. Phillips. “Making sure the schools I represent get their fair share of funding from the state is high priority. By saying no to bailing out Chicago schools, we can secure more money that our local classrooms so desperately need.”
SB 1 directs millions of dollars to Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and away from other deserving central and southern Illinois school districts. Under SB 1, the other 851 school districts in Illinois will receive less funding while CPS receives a $506 million historical pension payment.
According to the Governor’s office, when SB 1 reaches his desk, Governor Rauner plans to issue an amendatory veto that will result in higher state funding for almost every school district in Illinois. The bill includes a bailout of Chicago’s broken teacher pension system, so Governor Rauner plans to amend SB 1 to remove this from the bill.
Rep. Phillips added, “I support the Governor’s amendatory veto and plan to fix SB 1. Governor Rauner’s plan to fix SB 1 will nearly $2.5 million more for schools in Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Lawrence, and Edgar counties.”