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| Cardinal Cupich lobbied hard for vouchers |
Updated 29 August at 3:45 p.m.
In what was tantamount to a mirage, last Friday, Illinois state leadership announced that a tentative agreement had been reached to fund public schools using the language of a bill that was sponsored by state Senator, Andy Manar, whose bill, SB 1, called for an evidence based distribution of funds, the first, for what many believe was the worst in the nation for funding for poor students.
In their joint statement Thursday, House Republican Leader Jim Durkin and Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady said they, along with Democratic leaders, Speaker of the House Michael Madigan, State Senate President John Cullerton, and Gov. Bruce Rauner, reached an “agreement in principle on historic school funding reform.”
On Monday evening, after a series of "show" votes meant to demonstrate dissatisfaction with opposition to one key part of the agreement, and then another to position the Democratic opposition to the previous gubernatorial override, the House in a 73-34 vote, passed the so-called compromise bill, that among other districts gives $5.7 million to Chicago Public Schools.
Days earlier, the announcement of agreement was labelled as tentative, but many, including Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel praised it as a done deal, and said that Chicago parents, could “breathe a little easier," and also late Monday evening continued his praise, by thanking lawmakers, "for putting politics aside to address decades of inequity."
With Illinois politics being anything but simple, including back room deals, last minute additions, and lobbying efforts, this bill, SB1, is no exception. Leading the charge is Chicago Roman Catholic Cardinal Blaise Cupich, who has lobbied hard, and may have won the day with a school voucher that would benefit parochial schools, with money being taken from the Chicago Public Schools, to the tune of $75 million.
As of this date, there is a planned cap at $75 million of tax deferred dollars that can be donated into a scholarship program to help low-income children, at least that is what its defenders say; and no doubt Cupich, whose parochial schools are part of the nation’s largest private school system, run by the Catholic church.
While cooler heads did not prevail on this "scholarship" that supporters are calling it, while in reality, it still is easily a voucher, by another name say critics.
Well known was the opposition to Manar’s bill by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, who vowed to veto it, and he did, with an amendatory veto; less well known is that it is unusual for a bill, with an AV, to include an item, not in the original language, like this proposed voucher.
It seems somewhat disingenuous on the part of the Cardinal with the Roman church’s historic preferential treatment for the poor to support some students, and not others; especially in a city where the public school demographics tips to racial minorities: 47 percent Hispanic and 38 percent African American.
Certainly on the federal level, vouchers have been a mainstay of Education Secretary Betsy Devos, despite her own failed experiment in Detroit where her sponsored charter schools test scores fell beneath the national average.
Reaction has been consistent for both defenders and critics: “I hope that is part of the outcome,” said Sen. Kyle McCarter of a voucher program. “These are our tax dollars and we should be able to decide where they are spent and if we believe the best place for our kids to get an education is a private school rather than a public school,” reported the Effingham Daily News.
But for Altamont Superintendent Jeff Fritchtnitch, a school voucher program is concerning, he said, “So you use public dollars for a voucher program — a private school setting — so did we just open up Pandora’s box with regard to separation of church and state?” asked Fritchtnitch. “Am I against taxpayer money going to educate kids? No. But we also have certain requirements as public educators in education that we have to follow that those parochial schools do not.”
“Vouchers are a reverse Robin Hood scheme that siphons money from poor school districts and lets the wealthy avoid paying their fair share in taxes. A total of $100 million in school vouchers is the equivalent of adding 1,000 teachers, paraprofessionals and clinician for kindergarten through fifth grade classes and programs, which would lower class sizes across the city and provide support for the trauma and violence so many of our students face,” the Chicago Teachers Union said in an earlier statement.
In what was tantamount to a mirage, last Friday, Illinois state leadership announced that a tentative agreement had been reached to fund public schools using the language of a bill that was sponsored by state Senator, Andy Manar, whose bill, SB 1, called for an evidence based distribution of funds, the first, for what many believe was the worst in the nation for funding for poor students.
In their joint statement Thursday, House Republican Leader Jim Durkin and Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady said they, along with Democratic leaders, Speaker of the House Michael Madigan, State Senate President John Cullerton, and Gov. Bruce Rauner, reached an “agreement in principle on historic school funding reform.”
On Monday evening, after a series of "show" votes meant to demonstrate dissatisfaction with opposition to one key part of the agreement, and then another to position the Democratic opposition to the previous gubernatorial override, the House in a 73-34 vote, passed the so-called compromise bill, that among other districts gives $5.7 million to Chicago Public Schools.
Days earlier, the announcement of agreement was labelled as tentative, but many, including Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel praised it as a done deal, and said that Chicago parents, could “breathe a little easier," and also late Monday evening continued his praise, by thanking lawmakers, "for putting politics aside to address decades of inequity."
With Illinois politics being anything but simple, including back room deals, last minute additions, and lobbying efforts, this bill, SB1, is no exception. Leading the charge is Chicago Roman Catholic Cardinal Blaise Cupich, who has lobbied hard, and may have won the day with a school voucher that would benefit parochial schools, with money being taken from the Chicago Public Schools, to the tune of $75 million.
As of this date, there is a planned cap at $75 million of tax deferred dollars that can be donated into a scholarship program to help low-income children, at least that is what its defenders say; and no doubt Cupich, whose parochial schools are part of the nation’s largest private school system, run by the Catholic church.
While cooler heads did not prevail on this "scholarship" that supporters are calling it, while in reality, it still is easily a voucher, by another name say critics.
Well known was the opposition to Manar’s bill by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, who vowed to veto it, and he did, with an amendatory veto; less well known is that it is unusual for a bill, with an AV, to include an item, not in the original language, like this proposed voucher.
It seems somewhat disingenuous on the part of the Cardinal with the Roman church’s historic preferential treatment for the poor to support some students, and not others; especially in a city where the public school demographics tips to racial minorities: 47 percent Hispanic and 38 percent African American.
Certainly on the federal level, vouchers have been a mainstay of Education Secretary Betsy Devos, despite her own failed experiment in Detroit where her sponsored charter schools test scores fell beneath the national average.
Reaction has been consistent for both defenders and critics: “I hope that is part of the outcome,” said Sen. Kyle McCarter of a voucher program. “These are our tax dollars and we should be able to decide where they are spent and if we believe the best place for our kids to get an education is a private school rather than a public school,” reported the Effingham Daily News.
But for Altamont Superintendent Jeff Fritchtnitch, a school voucher program is concerning, he said, “So you use public dollars for a voucher program — a private school setting — so did we just open up Pandora’s box with regard to separation of church and state?” asked Fritchtnitch. “Am I against taxpayer money going to educate kids? No. But we also have certain requirements as public educators in education that we have to follow that those parochial schools do not.”
“Vouchers are a reverse Robin Hood scheme that siphons money from poor school districts and lets the wealthy avoid paying their fair share in taxes. A total of $100 million in school vouchers is the equivalent of adding 1,000 teachers, paraprofessionals and clinician for kindergarten through fifth grade classes and programs, which would lower class sizes across the city and provide support for the trauma and violence so many of our students face,” the Chicago Teachers Union said in an earlier statement.
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| CTU President Karen Lewis |
The reduction of the original amount may be seen to mollify the CTU, along with the cap, but that might be a pipe dream. “Vouchers are a double whammy aimed at the heart of public education, and to be frank, amount to stealing from the same Black and Brown children to whom he claims to be providing sanctuary and equity, said CTU President Karen Lewis.
Opposing its inclusion were State Rep. Mary Flowers, D-Chicago, who voted “no” twice because she said the private school program warranted public meetings that didn’t take place. “To me, this issue is too important,” she said.
Rep. Will Guzzardi, (D-Chicago), also voted against the measure — saying it was “unconscionable” to vote in support of the private school program, reported the Chicago Sun-Times.
“As far as I’m concerned the nose is under the camel’s tent now, and I’m very concerned about the prospect of this money only growing, and more and more over the years of our public dollars being diverted away,” Guzzardi said, adding he’s worried there will be an expansion instead of a sunset in five years.
Guzzardi's predictions may come true, as once this is in place, the chances of it growing,and becoming permanent are as sure as winter coming to Chicago each year.
Another part of the deal was to allow a share of Chicago’s tax increment financing districts which Rauner used as a comeback tactic, that some critics have said, was not only planned, but reinforced, after the recent state budget was signed into law, on an override. Sour grapes?
Poking at the soft underbelly of Chicago politics may been a new tactic after a drastic change in his staff, including many from the right leaning Illinois Policy Institute, whose new domination, has filled the vacancies. Rauner practically shrieked that the TIF’s, as they are known, were simply a slush fund for the mayor, and that there was money that was not being used for the schools.
It’s far beyond our scope to examine the byzantine, even arcane, TIF structure, but it has long been a bugaboo among Emanuel’s critics, and that of his predecessor Richard M. Daley, and The Chicago Reader, an alternative press, has railed against its use for over a decade.
The monies, frozen from specific tax areas are supposed to be used to help development in poor, and blighted areas, yet this has not always been the case, as when tax dollars were used by developers to build the posh French Market in the city’s Loop district.
Rauner’s assertions were countered by a Chicago Tribune examination which show that Emanuel’s comments to the contrary, were “right when he says that the city has used the controversial taxing districts to spend more on schools and that state law prevents it from tapping most of the money in those districts for CPS costs.”
Their detail showed that surplus dollars have increased, and that under Emanuel there has been more that $400 million spent on schools, quoting city officials, since 2011. And, also that there were tens of millions from Daley, and these amounts were more than the state cap allowed.
The Property Tax Extension Limitation Law was applicable to Chicago schools in 1994, and “limited overall increases to 5 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is lowest,” noted the Tribune.
Now, comes the rub, this cap may be lifted so that the city can get the $269 million sought by CEO Forrest Claypool, two weeks ago; and that can only mean, another property tax increase to Chicago residents who are already burdened by high sales tax, a fee for bags, for purchases, and now the controversial penny for ounce sweetened beverage tax.
If you are a property owner, then you are probably screaming for uncle, as you read this, since the $250 million increase, that was given to CPS, just last year, is still smarting.
The result may be that many Chicago families will flee for the burbs to make ends meet, a fact that hit home Saturday night, at dinner, for three couples that did just that. And, for middle-class black families, the exodus, to Northern Indiana will continue, as the they flee the high costs, and the equally high crime, that has blighted the city.
Of course, the pension liability for Chicago has been enormous and the fact that the state pays teacher pensions for all, but Chicago, makes the need for reform even greater, and this bill has that as another goal. In that vein, Madigan added $200 million in additional state funds for the faltering system, that lay prey to skipped payments, and pension holidays.
The current school budget has pension obligations pegged at $773 million.
Now, comes the rub, this cap may be lifted so that the city can get the $269 million sought by CEO Forrest Claypool, two weeks ago; and that can only mean, another property tax increase to Chicago residents who are already burdened by high sales tax, a fee for bags, for purchases, and now the controversial penny for ounce sweetened beverage tax.
If you are a property owner, then you are probably screaming for uncle, as you read this, since the $250 million increase, that was given to CPS, just last year, is still smarting.
The result may be that many Chicago families will flee for the burbs to make ends meet, a fact that hit home Saturday night, at dinner, for three couples that did just that. And, for middle-class black families, the exodus, to Northern Indiana will continue, as the they flee the high costs, and the equally high crime, that has blighted the city.
Of course, the pension liability for Chicago has been enormous and the fact that the state pays teacher pensions for all, but Chicago, makes the need for reform even greater, and this bill has that as another goal. In that vein, Madigan added $200 million in additional state funds for the faltering system, that lay prey to skipped payments, and pension holidays.
The current school budget has pension obligations pegged at $773 million.
Now, in a significant change, the state will make a much larger contribution to Chicago teacher pensions, to the tune of $221 million, compared to $12.2 million last year, but included in the state's retirement system, which Rauner wanted, and not the change that Madigan wanted, as part of the bill.
On Friday, after giving his initial support for the agreement, the governor turned back and said, there are “some bad things in there.” and also "It's not fair but it's going to end up being a compromise," he said, adding that he may push for a different bill than SB1. "I'm going to try to fix the problems with it in subsequent legislation."
It's unclear what pushed Rauner to backtrack again, and give support, but it might have been the advice of his wife, Diana, who local news reports have said, has heavily influenced her husband's public stances, especially after staff shake-ups.
While there is major support for the bill among many lawmakers, and parents, and school officials, there is still the spectre of higher taxes on an already burdened base, and the very real entrenchment of a voucher, that will chip away on a public school system that is one of the largest in the nation.
CTU Vice President Jesse Sharkey crossed swords with the Chicago Board of Education, as they fell behind the bill and the "scholarship" aspect. "Frankly, we need to speak out that vouchers, which are part of this latest school funding deal, are fundamentally devastating to a public school system," Sharkey told the board.The Tribune also quoted his saying: "This is not just vouchers, it's vouchers plus tax credits. Which would mean that if I have a $1,000 tax bill, I can give $1,000 to a parochial school or private school and then get a $750 credit off my taxes ... I don't have to pay my taxes? That's a crazy idea."
Now, it's onto the state Senate to see what, if any changes, are made. The governor has said that he will sign it, but as these last few weeks have shown, there can be changes, and modifications to what is easily a flawed bill, especially to taxpayers, who are on the line for more taxes, and the CTU, who will see even more monies stripped from their needy coffers.
It's unclear what pushed Rauner to backtrack again, and give support, but it might have been the advice of his wife, Diana, who local news reports have said, has heavily influenced her husband's public stances, especially after staff shake-ups.
While there is major support for the bill among many lawmakers, and parents, and school officials, there is still the spectre of higher taxes on an already burdened base, and the very real entrenchment of a voucher, that will chip away on a public school system that is one of the largest in the nation.
CTU Vice President Jesse Sharkey crossed swords with the Chicago Board of Education, as they fell behind the bill and the "scholarship" aspect. "Frankly, we need to speak out that vouchers, which are part of this latest school funding deal, are fundamentally devastating to a public school system," Sharkey told the board.The Tribune also quoted his saying: "This is not just vouchers, it's vouchers plus tax credits. Which would mean that if I have a $1,000 tax bill, I can give $1,000 to a parochial school or private school and then get a $750 credit off my taxes ... I don't have to pay my taxes? That's a crazy idea."
Now, it's onto the state Senate to see what, if any changes, are made. The governor has said that he will sign it, but as these last few weeks have shown, there can be changes, and modifications to what is easily a flawed bill, especially to taxpayers, who are on the line for more taxes, and the CTU, who will see even more monies stripped from their needy coffers.
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