TO: Senate Republican Colleagues
FROM: Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno
DATE: June 24, 2016
RE: Stopgap Budget Proposal
Dear Colleagues,
As both the House and the Senate prepare to return to Springfield next week, with only days to go before the end of the fiscal year, I wanted to update you on the status of the negotiations on a stopgap budget proposal.
When it became abundantly clear that the Democrats in the legislature had walked away from budget negotiations at the end of session, Republicans introduced a fiscally responsible stopgap budget to fund essential government operations. This stopgap was not designed to be a solution to our state’s fiscal problems; it’s simply designed to run government operations through December 31, 2016.
In the last few days, the four legislative caucuses and the Governor’s Office have worked diligently to negotiate the stopgap proposal, leading to compromise solutions for almost all of the identified disagreements.
The proposed solution will allow the state to appropriate all federal funds. It also utilizes funds where cash will actually be available. That means there are real resources behind the appropriations, unlike the $7 billion out of balance budget plan passed by Democrats in the House in May.
The stopgap ensures road construction will not be interrupted and that projects for Water and Wastewater can continue without delay. Additionally, it includes funding for emergency repairs at state facilities to protect the public safety and taxpayer assets, and funding for school construction.
It also drives $1 billion in real resources to higher education to ensure that public universities and community colleges can stay open through the fall and includes funding for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) to fund the spring semester of MAP awards.
More than $600 million for social services programs from the Commitment to Human Services Fund has been included to drive much-needed resources to human services providers.
And we’ve agreed to include funding from the Rainy Day Fund to address the critical life, health, and safety operational needs of state government so that food, utilities and medicine continue to be delivered to our state prisons, mental health hospitals and veterans’ homes. This will also allow the state to continue to purchase fuel for state troopers on the highways, IDOT trucks on the roads during construction season, and snow plows and salt trucks on the roads during the winter months.
The only difference that remains is whether or not the state should force suburban and downstate taxpayers to bailout Chicago Public Schools.
Republicans continue to advocate for the Governor’s proposal to fully fund the foundation level for first time in seven years with the addition of a hold harmless provision, so that no school district receives less money from the state than they did last year, and an additional $75 million for early childhood education. This would represent a historic level of funding for Illinois schools.
In the case of Chicago Public Schools, under this plan they would actually receive more money than they did last year, despite having fewer children enrolled.
Yet despite this, Democrats are continuing to pursue yet another fiscally irresponsible bailout, of at least $400 million, for Chicago Public Schools at the expense of suburban and downstate taxpayers.
I remain hopeful that all sides will continue to negotiate in good faith so that we don’t enter another fiscal year without providing the Governor with the spending authority he needs to ensure government operations can continue. I will keep you updated as these talks continue and look forward to seeing you next week in Springfield.
- Henry Francis - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 11:37 am:
The only difference that remains is whether or not the state should force suburban and downstate taxpayers to bailout Chicago Public Schools.
Well, if you put it like that . . .
- Michelle Flaherty - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 11:41 am:
Oh come on.
Radogno and Durkin filed brand new bills on the last day of session for the little Capitol steps PR stunt that had been planned out long before the sun had set on May 31.
- Joe M - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 11:42 am:
Senator Radogno, but what about CPS pension parity for Chicago? What about the percentage of school kids under the poverty level. Shouldn’t those be part of the discussion?
- Annonin' - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 11:43 am:
Did SqueezeTheBeast mention how lovely it is that Chicago continues to be sucked dry to fund pensions in the ‘burbs and downstate?
Oh never mind
- Trolling Troll - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 11:47 am:
I’m not sure if publicly slamming the person you are bargaining with is “good faith” negotiations.
- cdog - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 11:48 am:
“of at least $400 million, for Chicago Public Schools”
What is this for? Pension parity?
Anyone know? (i know, i know… 3, 2, 1, probably Mr. Miller’s que to say “subscribe,”
- realworld - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 11:49 am:
No money but we are still going to have a State Fair that has lost money every year. There is something bad wrong.
- Formerly Known As... - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 11:52 am:
Democrats will choose.
Are hostages fair and the acceptable practice in budget negotiations or not?
If they are, then what does Rauner get in exchange? The parents of school children will know who is holding up school funding, so =opening schools on time= isn’t a =get= or much of a hostage for him. What will they offer in exchange? WC? Property tax freeze? Something else?
- Gone - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 11:56 am:
Pension reform would help the problem Annonin mentioned. City Dems support that?
- Pot calling kettle - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:00 pm:
==The only difference that remains is whether or not the state should force suburban and downstate taxpayers to bailout Chicago Public Schools.==
It would be nice if either side would produce some actual numbers. Does Chicago see a net gain, net loss, or does it break even?
- Ok - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:05 pm:
Hate to say it, but $1 billion for suburban families to send their kids to bloated, overpriced universities, but heaven forbid we have schools open in the fall for schools in the city?
Why do I hate to say it? Because we can have both if we want to have both.
The starve the peasant strategy makes the middle class and low-income and poor fight over the crumbs, rather than tax the few who can pay.
- Thoughts Matter - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:06 pm:
Senstor Radogno…last I checked, Chicago was part of Illinois, and a fair amount of the states’ population resides there. All of children in all of our schools in the state need to be equally heducated. You never know where the people you interact with went to school- but a fair portion of them didn’t go to the school district you paid taxes into. Stop dividing the state….or submit legislation to make Chicago its’ own state.
- Thoughts Matter - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:08 pm:
Obviously, I needed a better education.. Or smaller fingers to use on my phone keyboard.
- cdog - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:08 pm:
good point Annonin’.
So Radagno is runnin’ one of Rauner’s rackets.
Chicagoans have to keep paying for downstate and suburban pensions, but if they want their pensions on par, ALL the hostages will die.
- Gone - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:12 pm:
cdog,
Reform the pensions, cut the costs.
You know anybody who could reform the pensions?
- PublicServant - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:14 pm:
Radogno and the rest of the GOP is bought. Period. The text likely was approved prior to her propaganda release. It sure toes the governor’s line without deviation. We’re talking 40% cuts at CPS, and she’s labeling it a bailout? What about the kids? Chicago’s should allow them to suffer while the suburbs are allowed to open? Not likely.
- cdog - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:26 pm:
gone, that’s a trick question.
answer– voters in the ballot box. BOOM!
- Juice - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:35 pm:
Gone, they did. Citizen Rauner lobbied against it.
Where were you two and a half years ago?
- muon - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:48 pm:
If Chicago wants to have their pensions treated the same as the downstate employees, are they willing to transfer their employees and assets into the downstate systems? Is Chicago willing to give up the exclusive control that they have today?
- Anon - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:55 pm:
Doesn’t sound like there’s much Turnaroundin’ there. Whew!
- Stan Laurel - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 1:00 pm:
Honesty is the best politics.
This letter is not the best politics.
- Huh? - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 1:15 pm:
Wow, such arrogance to tell 1/4 of the state that their problems don’t matter.
Well, what else is new.
- crazybleedingheart - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 1:31 pm:
Thanks, Sen. Radogno. Assuming you were reasonable and well-intentioned was exhausting.
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them:
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20160624/illinois-women-hit-hard-by-state-budget-impasse
- Northeasterner - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 1:33 pm:
=The only difference that remains is whether or not the state should force suburban and downstate taxpayers to bailout Chicago Public Schools.=
Or, put another way, whether the State will finally stop its blatant racial and geographic discrimination and provide equal funding to Chicago schools that now receive less then three-quarters of what districts in “downstate and suburban” school receive. And, at the same time, provide much need help to a myriad of districts in Illinois serving low-income kids that have been cut time and time again in recent years because of Illinois’ last-in-the-nation school funding formula.
- snap - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 1:47 pm:
==The only difference that remains is whether or not the state should force suburban and downstate taxpayers to bailout Chicago Public Schools.==
Statements like this are maddening because it’s blatantly not true.
- Mama - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 2:29 pm:
Does this mean the unions are no longer the wedge?
- Rod - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 4:03 pm:
Leader Christine Radogno really knows better than to talk about an “irresponsible bailout” of CPS when no Republican or Democrat has proposed a responsible bailout for CPS.
Basically Paul Vallas back in April raised the issue of establishing a structured bailout of CPS and no one is interested, not Democrats, not Republicans. See http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20150429/BLOGS02/150429761/paul-vallas-has-a-radical-fix-for-chicago-schools
Such a structured bail out would likely involve real pain of CPS kids, teachers, the state, and Chicago tax payers. But leader Radogno would much rather keep babbling about a solution without a CPS bail out, and President Cullerton babbling about the Assembly handing over hundreds of millions to CPS without direct oversight. Yes this is a fine mess we are in today.
By the way Rich I am off to see Bob Dylan at Ravinia. Its Friday I am done.
- Triple fat - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 4:08 pm:
I know how to save CPS 400 million. The state should release them from the burden of paying for the Charters. Let them get in line with the other state vendors or cut them off at the knees.
- Honeybear - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 4:16 pm:
Does this mean the unions are no longer the wedge?
Nope, they want to get the stopgap in order to make peace before the Great Labor War. That way everybody blames the evil status quo AFSCME employee. Nope union is still very much in play.
- Formerly Known As... - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 4:31 pm:
=provide equal funding to Chicago schools=
CPS receives roughly $2,000 more per pupil than the state average.
CPS also receives roughly 25% of General State Aid for K-12 education, but has roughly 19% of total state enrollment.