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* Press release…
Speaker of the Illinois House Michael J. Madigan on Monday issued the following statement regarding a constitutional amendment to strengthen education throughout Illinois:
“Every student in Illinois deserves an excellent education. By helping our schools deliver a world-class education to our children, we are helping teachers mold the minds of the leaders of tomorrow who can take our state, our country and our world to new heights of achievement. But when it comes to improving our education system, conversations are not enough. We have to put our words into actions.
“Too many school districts from every region of the state struggle to provide the excellent education they want to give our students. Increasing the per-pupil foundation level was and continues to be a needed step in the right direction, but it is not enough. We need to do more for our students.
“In February, Governor Rauner stated his support for increasing funding for elementary schools and high schools through the foundation level. I, too, support increasing the level of funding for our schools, as Democrats in the General Assembly did last year and have done for many years. But we need to do more.
“We must resolve to strengthen our education system and increase needed funding for our schools in the long term. So I urge members of the General Assembly and Governor Rauner to join me in support of making an excellent education a right for our children. I also urge Governor Rauner to resist the temptation to follow the lead of former Governor Jim Edgar, who opposed a similar plan to strengthen education during his tenure as governor. I encourage Governor Rauner to reaffirm his commitment to education by using his extensive influence within the House and Senate Republican caucuses to help pass this measure in the House Elementary and Secondary Appropriations Committee today and through both chambers of the General Assembly. With the governor’s help, we can better provide local schools with the additional resources they need to give our children a world-class education.
“Under House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 57, the state constitution would declare that an excellent education is no longer simply a goal of the people of Illinois, but a fundamental right, and that the state has the preponderant responsibility to fund local schools. In November 1992, I urged passage of a similar effort via referendum. Though the measure received the support of 57 percent of voters, opponents of the proposal succeeded in preventing it from attaining the 60 percent of support needed to amend the state constitution.
“This amendment deserves another chance to succeed, and our children deserve greater support to help them make their dreams a reality.”
I dunno.
Madigan’s proposal is somewhat similar to the Illinois Constitution’s pension language in that it could end up costing the state an absolute fortune if the courts side with the schools and against the state.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 3:40 pm
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1.4% - So as I understand politics, it is like trading for stuff. You want my help to pass your constitutional amendment. I want your help to pass my run aground agenda.
Madigan - We have gone over this many times, you can’t operate in the extreme, all things in moderation. And no I won’t help pass your agenda.
1.4% - So where’s that leave us?
Madigan - You help pass my CA and you get to look good.
1.4% - But what about my agenda?
Madigan - What about it?
Comment by Huh? Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 3:52 pm
The State has demonstrated for years an inability to pay what it already owes school districts. What good does this Amendment do other than add another Squeezy to the mix? It sounds great, sure, but who is going to pay the pied python?
Comment by Shemp Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 4:01 pm
My superintendent once told me: Why provide students with a BMW when a Dodge will serve the purpose? Besides, depending upon your student population, what is an excellent education? A career/vocational academy or top level magnet school providing AP courses? Answer, both would serve.
Wrong amendment for the current times.
Comment by Wensicia Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 4:07 pm
looks like politics to me. Rauner keeps harping on how he supports education so Madigan just dropped the gauntlet at his feet.
Comment by Ghost Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 4:08 pm
Madigan’s way, to get the state to pay, to keep CPS solvent!
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 4:13 pm
There is a lot more to a good education than just throwing more money at it. It requires involvement at all levels and the state cannot ensure that.
Comment by Just a Citizen Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 4:14 pm
Been a busy Monday.
Comment by Nick Name Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 4:20 pm
I can’t see where this passes muster and only puts into play a political response non-responsive to the constitutional requirements…
“Never mistake activity for achievement” - John Wooden.
It’s activity that in the long, or even short run, leads to nothing being achieved?
Hmm…
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 4:31 pm
Not a fan of Madigan but I like this commandment. If courts interpret this as rigidly as the pension clause it could be used to wrangle money from the north shore put into inner city schools. It could also stop teacher strikes.
Comment by atsuishin Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 4:41 pm
Madigan does not care how much things cost Illinois taxpayers, the only thing that matters is that he has his veto-proof majority.
Comment by Ahoy! Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 4:42 pm
@ahoy:
The same thing could be said of Bruce. With his self proclaimed “vast business experience” you’d think he would know that the bills were being paid with the higher tax rate. But he insisted he could do it his way, without any legislative mandate (or support from voters).
Comment by Jack Stephens Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 4:51 pm
==costing the state an absolute fortune==
Yes, it would because the Foundation level for school funding would increase more than 50 percent.
The Manar alternative is to shift around relatively small amounts of money (that will not begin to substantially close the spending gaps) but to take that money almost entirely from special education.
Comment by winners and losers Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 4:55 pm
== But I can also see Madigan’s point; I think this is what the 1970 Con-Con delegates intended with their language. ==
Expanding that thought … Madigan was one of the delegates to the 1970 Con-Con (General Government Committee).
Could this proposal be a combination of correcting some mistakes from then and a bit of legacy polishing before leaving the stage in two years?
Comment by RNUG Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 5:03 pm
Does this qualify as negootiation?
Comment by Hamlet's Ghost Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 5:31 pm
Easy for the republicans to publicize that the pension clause has nearly bankrupted the State so why would any sane person vote for yet another constitutional clause that can and will result in expensive litigation and financial obligations. Tell madigan no thanks
Comment by Sue Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 5:33 pm
==- Wensicia - Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 4:07 pm:==
It would help if we were offering even Dodges, not go karts.
Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 5:39 pm
–Madigan’s proposal is somewhat similar to the Illinois Constitution’s pension language in that it could end up costing the state an absolute fortune if the courts side with the schools and against the state.–
If property taxes are the villain, why wouldn’t you support this?
My high school district gets 6.4% of its revenue from the state. 90% is local sources with property taxes, obviously, being the heavy load.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 5:55 pm
Sell it as a “we’re going to cut your property taxes in half and soak the rich with a progressive income tax to pay for this”; it will pass in a New York Minute.
Comment by RNUG Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 6:12 pm
Sue, except for the fact it’s not the pension clause, it’s the decades long failure to adequately fund the pension funds. The normal cost is not unduly burdensome, it’s the debt payments.
Comment by MyTwoCents Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 6:15 pm
This would be far more dangerous than the pension clause. It would allow the judiciary to determine adequate funding and then to impose a tax to meet that funding obligation. To top it off, the legislature could then throw up their hands and disclaim any responsibility for those taxes.
Comment by 39th Ward Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 6:31 pm
–Madigan’s proposal is somewhat similar to the Illinois Constitution’s pension language in that it could end up costing the state an absolute fortune if the courts side with the schools and against the state.–
Seems like he wants that to be a feature, not a bug.
Comment by Marty Funkhouser Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 7:02 pm
Exactly how many of the Madigan children went to public schools that they were so important?
Comment by Steve Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 7:55 pm
Madigan cares very little of the cost to the taxpayers. He and group would welcome another pension type amendment. It where the power is.
Comment by cannon649 Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 8:19 pm
Maybe Madigan could use his considerable influence to get a term limits amendment to the Constitution on the ballot, or a fair redistricting one. But, I forgot, Madigan intends to live forever.
Comment by Jack27 Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 8:47 pm
I’m no Constitutional scholar, but I can read the dictionary as well as the next guy.
Switching from primary to preponderant is not a positive change if one desires more State money and/or a stronger guarantee. Perhaps the goal going to a right is the big deal here. Either way, I would argue that the plain language is not nearly as clear as the pension protection clause. Perhaps that is a feature, not a bug.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Apr 18, 16 @ 10:10 pm
good one @Jack27
Comment by Allen D Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 7:58 am
Rich -
First, your statement suggests that ensuring an excellent education for all children is a bad thing.
Whether you have children in the public schools or never will, ensuring a world class education system isn’t just fundamental for the individual futures of children, it is an essential building block of strong families, strong communities and a strong economy.
As you inadvertently underscore, the amendment is necessary to put education funding on a level playing field not just with pensions, but also with every single service mandated by our federal and state courts.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 8:28 am
The state constitution is a complete joke. Time to scrap the abomination to fairness.
Comment by Tone Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 8:54 am
Would that be the same State Constitution that states that the budget must be balanced? I see Madigan has taken that to heart over the years, not. This is all politics, if he was truly concerned about education he would have been funding it properly in the past.
Comment by Arock Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 9:18 am