Yesterday’s other big Senate story
Thursday, Aug 20, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The chamber approved college MAP grant funding at Gov. Rauner’s proposed levels…
The bill would allow up to 130,000 students to continue receiving financial assistance through the program even though the legislature and Gov. Bruce Rauner have been unable to agree on an overall state spending plan. Because of that impasse, students who rely on the awards feared they would be left without financial assistance when colleges and universities start the fall semester.
Sen. Dan Kotowski, D-Park Ridge, said the amount in the bill is consistent with what Rauner requested for the MAP program in his budget proposal earlier this year.
However, Rauner has said he is opposed to a bill that authorizes another piece of the budget without having a full budget proposal in place.
Republican senators criticized the bill for the same reason. Kotowski acknowledged that, including the MAP grants, the state is on pace to spend about $34 billion because of court orders and existing state laws that require the state to continue spending money even without a budget in place. The state is expected to have about $33 billion in tax collections during the current fiscal year, which began July 1.
The sole Republican “Yes” vote was Sen. Sam McCann.
- walker - Thursday, Aug 20, 15 @ 10:35 am:
Death by a thousand band aids.
- Bill White - Thursday, Aug 20, 15 @ 10:35 am:
Folks, it appears we have a “duct tape budget” in place already. Maybe there won’t be a “real budget” until after the 2016 election.
== Kotowski acknowledged that, including the MAP grants, the state is on pace to spend about $34 billion because of court orders and existing state laws that require the state to continue spending money even without a budget in place. The state is expected to have about $33 billion in tax collections during the current fiscal year, which began July 1. ==
- Not it - Thursday, Aug 20, 15 @ 10:41 am:
They can’t help themselves, they just love to spend money they don’t have.
- walker - Thursday, Aug 20, 15 @ 10:41 am:
Maybe the best scorecard now is what’s not been funded. The longer we go on this route, the more likely some might never be funded.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Aug 20, 15 @ 10:48 am:
Once the Governor is locked at 93-95% of projected revenues allocated, with moves like this to reach that level, the cuts get harder and harder, and they will be owned, by the Governor.
Burning daylight…
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Aug 20, 15 @ 10:54 am:
Assuming MAP gets approved (a big if given Rauner’s statement), then that leaves the rest of higher ed ($1.6 billion) and Human Services ($2 billion) and the two largest, unfunded items left.
And Willy is right, the longer they delay fixing the revenue shortfall, the deeper the cuts will have to be. It’s going to be an ugly mess if this drags on much longer.
- Anon - Thursday, Aug 20, 15 @ 10:54 am:
Lots of brave republicans voted against this bill yesterday because the money isn’t there and it’s just irresponsible to promise money we don’t have. Oh, I’m sorry, the republicans all voted present. Got it.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Aug 20, 15 @ 11:00 am:
Rauner has said he is opposed to a bill that authorizes another piece of the budget without having a full budget proposal in place.
His inability to craft a budget or compromise on a budget since taking office should not be a viable excuse for anything.
Bruce Rauner has proven that we have reached a point where we don’t even need a governor.
- Wordslinger - Thursday, Aug 20, 15 @ 12:20 pm:
The governor is a little late to be worrying about a piecemeal budget.
He signed K-12. He claimed he wanted state employees paid.
He undermined his whole hostage strategy and now he has a whale of a deficit mess of his own making on his hands.
Superstars, indeed.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 20, 15 @ 12:24 pm:
Why is not funding MAP grants played up as an attack on poor students. Clearly they can still attend the college they choose and take up student loans like the rest of us did. Not having funding in place will in no way prevent anyone from starting this semester…unless of course they CHOOSE not to take on debt. I do not really even understand the rationale behind these types of grants as Federal Student Loans are readily available.
- Because I said so... - Thursday, Aug 20, 15 @ 12:32 pm:
You have qualify for loans, they aren’t just handed out.
- The Drummer - Thursday, Aug 20, 15 @ 12:39 pm:
Passed at the governor’s recommended levels, but almost all of the GOP senators voted present? Further proof the governor doesn’t give a squat about anything except breaking unions.
- 62656 - Thursday, Aug 20, 15 @ 12:39 pm:
==Republican senators criticized the bill for the same reason. Kotowski acknowledged that, including the MAP grants, the state is on pace to spend about $34 billion because of court orders and existing state laws that require the state to continue spending money even without a budget in place. The state is expected to have about $33 billion in tax collections during the current fiscal year, which began July 1.==
34 Billion? Why have we been hearing the no budget, court orders figure at 38 billion?
- anon - Thursday, Aug 20, 15 @ 2:18 pm:
most map kids are also loan packaged–they are just too poor to take on as much debt as middle-class college kids
- carbaby - Thursday, Aug 20, 15 @ 2:25 pm:
Student loans for freshman year total $5500 and sophomore year is $6500. Not sure what university or college costs that little- maybe community college is close. Then you need to add about 10k on top of tuition for room/board. Pell and MAP grants are most times the only way low income students can even think about going to college.
- Jay R - Thursday, Aug 20, 15 @ 6:15 pm:
Higher Ed is one of the few budget areas still being held hostage. But pretty soon the smaller state schools — many located in Republican districts by the way — are going to start seeing their finances running dry. Then it will be interesting to see how many Repubs still stand with Rauner. Rose? Hays? Brady? Are they willing to zero out the state funds to the universities in their districts?
- The Equalizer - Thursday, Aug 20, 15 @ 6:40 pm:
Now he doesn’t want a piecemeal budget? He was okay with that on quite a few other items. Plus it is at the spending levels he requested, and the GOP voted present? I’m wagering he’ll sign and cry out Madigan’s name a few times in anguish. Rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat..