* The candidate claims she made a mistake and didn’t mean to say she supported the actual bill. But, despite Sen. Andy Manar’s hold harmless clause that would prevent any schools from losing money, the Republicans still maintain schools in the district will lose $10 million under Manar’s funding reform bill. So, right or wrong, you better believe this’ll be in GOP Rep. Dwight Kay’s direct mail program…
[Katie Stuart], an Edwardsville Democrat who is running for state representative in the Illinois House District 112, posted to Facebook a photo of herself Monday at a rally with other supporters of Senate Bill 231, which would change the school funding formula.
Her post mentioned the bill by number, and she wrote, “I sincerely hope the bill passes in the House with enough votes to protect it against a veto by the governor.”
A few hours later, she revised the post — removing any mention of the bill and instead stating, “I sincerely hope the House recognizes the need to fix our funding formula for school districts.” […]
“I’d say it’s a flip-flop, and a pretty serious one,” Kay said. “It’s a huge flip-flop. This is a catastrophic mistake.” […]
“I think somebody, probably (House Speaker) Mike Madigan or one of his handlers, called her and said you better flip-flop because you’re going to cost the school districts in Madison and St. Clair counties millions of dollars in revenues, which are going to be sent to Chicago to cover pension costs,” Kay said. “That’s not going to happen under my watch.”
His logic is flawed, his Chicago-bashing is expected (albeit counter-productive if he does want to get a deal) and Kay has his own problems, but that was not a smart move by Stuart.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 11:14 am:
Edwardsville.
There’s a Campus there.
Food for thought.
To Stuart,
4) Get off of Facebook and Twitter.
Ugh.
- Formerly Known As... - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 11:30 am:
iirc, the =hold harmless= clause is a temporary measure.
This still takes education money from these schools and kids. It does not happen immediately this year, but it is still a permaent loss of education funding for those communities.
This could pass as part of a larger budget and reform compromise that includes additional $ to pay for the additional cost of the =hold harmless= clause. But until then, most should be expected to vote their district. No one who wants to be re-elected is voting during an election year for a formula that permanently cuts education $ for their district’s kids.
- Allen D - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 11:39 am:
Say what I tell you to say, not what you mean to say… you haven’t earned a thought yet.
- illini97 - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 11:42 am:
Agree with OW.
Stuart, review your social media strategy and policies. Kay is running scared with a Rauner referendum in a college town with the added kicker of Trump on the ticket in a very blue district.
This will blow over in a day, but don’t lob the easy softballs.
- JS Mill - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:05 pm:
=despite Sen. Andy Manar’s hold harmless clause that would prevent any schools from losing money=
That is a false statement.
1) the “hold harmless is temorary.
2) when HH ends more schools will lose funding than gain, by a WIDE margin.
So stop the nonsense and be honest about the impact of this bill this. You can say no school loses money but yo have to include “temporarily” in that statement and then add “most schools” will lose money in 4 years.
- Rod - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:31 pm:
JS Mill you have correctly made the point about the bogus nature of the hold harmless provision in SB 231 repeatedly on this blog. It’s very obvious that the Manar supporters will repeat their mantra again and again. Its part of the disingenuous nature of the entire education funding debate in the Assembly.
SB 231 will not bring equity to our state’s education system or even save CPS for years to come. Senator Manar and his supporters are correct about the inequity of the existing funding system, but they are wrong about the solution.
I assume Rep Kay believes the CPS situation will fix itself by magic or we can just let it all collapse up north, pass a bankruptcy bill and that will fix it. I am sure the banks will be lining up to loan CPS money after a bankruptcy.
- the Cardinal - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:45 pm:
The only way no schools lose money is if the State finally “fixes” the formula and funds education properly. You can’t create education funding equity (or the appearance of it) without additional revenues.
OW you are correct….t she should clam up and stop pandering its only May.
- Honeybear - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:47 pm:
Unlike Kay, Stuart is not an political insider. She’s going to make some minor rookie mistakes. But really, is a minor flip flop like this even close to
I seriously question how much promiscuity should an insurance company pay (for),” said Rep. Dwight Kay, R-Glen Carbon. “It’s simply wrong, and I think we’re trying to address issues that quite frankly don’t have any business coming up in this General Assembly.”
Rank sexism and shaming is much more serious I think. She’s working hard to learn the ropes. I know that because of all the coordination about the rally that I’ve done. She’s a math professor not an insurance salesman. She’ll get it.
- wordslinger - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:58 pm:
I find the school-funding “formula” debate surreal.
Don’t you have to have the money first?
- Mama - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:32 pm:
== wordslinger @ 12:58 pm: ==
That would have to include a tax increase. Good luck with that without throwing the unions under the bus.
- Rod - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 4:00 pm:
Word one would think money would be a good thing to have on hand at the start of a school funding reform process. Even the hold harmless provision in SB 231 that sunsets costs money and there is no appropriation for that at hand.
Now we will have a forum at the City Club to discuss school reform with no money at hand with Rep Currie, Senator Manar, Sen McConnaughay, and Rep Sandack http://www.cityclub-chicago.org/events/detail/1109/illinois-school-funding-formula-is-it-fair I am sure it will be enlightening.