* He’s said this before, of course, but you gotta wonder what his suburban and Downstate members are thinking, and what the governor will do to them this fall…
Cullerton: I don't think any schools should be funded until Chicago schools are funded fairly.
Wonderful. More hostages. What a way to govern. I’d rather my 11 year old son be in charge. At least he has an excuse to act like a child. These guys have no excuses.
Hostage-takers lose. Why add your own hostage? Governors own, they always do, but the brazen verbiage will blunt the message enough to make an 8-figure Ad buy with that quote oh so very painful.
The Cullerton Press Shop is better than this. Seriously.
The difference here is that you can’t hold this hostage indefinitely, like you can apparently with MAP, higher education and human services, which no one care enough about to scream bloody murder.
Where my grandkids go to school in a deep Southern Illinois school district, there is no “homework” because there are an insufficient number of textbooks to permit kids taking them home. So I am not too impressed with arguments that our priority ought to be about funding Chicago schools fairly!
And the message becomes?
“Cullerton holds up school funding until more money is sent to the mismanaged, bankrupt Chicago school system,” which plays everywhere outside the city limits (and even some places inside).
As for the continued push that Chicago is getting less than they should, I think there’s a belief that if you say it enough it becomes true.
And once again, everyone in the suburbs needs to take this seriously, they just declared war on your schools. Get ready for higher property taxes to cover CPS’s failures.
I highly, highly doubt he would do this considering the point you made Rich. His members would scream bloody murder. Next year, maybe. But not this year.
=I interpret this as “this whole school funding thing is going to be a state wide package, everything fixed once and for all.”
As well it should be.=
For too long CPS operated by its’ own special set of rules. Now those rules have come back to haunt them. Go and look for yourself, the school code is littered with special legilsation for CPS. That is exactly how they were able to loot their own pension and create the unfunded mess they ave now. All the while CTU was silent, until the bill came, because they received some very nice raises. Shame on all of them. So no, I refuse to be held hsotage for their disaster. Rahm and Karen can duke it our on TV for all I care. I find it interesting that our independent press in Chicago is not asking former mayor Daley for his thoughts on the matter.
As for Cullerton- wow, matches and fire big guy. Just when I was thinking he was the adult in the room he says something this silly.
I’ve never seen a hostage crisis combined with a Ponzi scheme before. At least I know now that the number of hostages will exceed the population of the planet soon, so there will ultimately be an end to the crisis
- Chemical_Riverside - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:41 am:
@Skirmisher It is my understanding that under the school funding changes Cullerton and others are proposing, your grandkid’s schools would likely end up with more funding. It is the wealthy schools in the collar counties that will get less.
He better rethink this position and quickly or it is absolutely going to bite them in Nov. Why should Chicago’s mismanagement and cheaper property taxes be the suburban and outlying counties problem?
There needs to be comprehensive change, but that cannot and will not happen overnight. Are we trying to be the least educated state in the nation?
“Rauner Wants Bailout Of Chicago Schools, State To Take Over CPS?”
People don’t want state bailout (takeover) of schools either.
Rauner has the money to push this mistake, (If Cullerton continues a hostage stance), but this Bankruptcy/Bailout/Takeover of CPS? Yikes, that’s the “Ok, Governor, what do you think needs to be done?”
One person’s hostage taking is another’s bargaining position.
- lake county democrat - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:44 am:
Yes, more hostages! Why?
Because Cullerton is right: after CPS’ bad management and CTU’s greed, nothing has hurt Chicago kids more than Illinois’ unfair funding system. And that’s not going to change outside of a crisis situation.
Say you took Cullerton up on his offer: “OK Bruce, if non-budget items are going on the table, EVERYTHING is going on the table.” CPS bankruptcy (stick the toxic swap and other debt on the bankers and CTU rather than the kids and poperty owners?) in exchange for structural change in how schools are funded and an elected school board? Actually the negotiation wouldn’t be that limited - it would involve giving Rauner SOME of his anti-union wish list and political reform (like, gasp, basic democracy and maybe the term limits that 80% of the state supports).
Nope, unthinkable Bad Cullerton! Get back behind Madigan where you belong.
Ironically enough the state aid formula (GSA) works the same for all school districts. What works differently is CPS receives mandated categorical funding based on their population and service level set in 1995. Those numbers are way out of whack now and CPS receives more money than it should. All other school districts have to file yearly claims and their mandated categorical are based on those claims not 20 year old service levels when the school population was much higher.
-cdog-
Actually fixing statewide school funding via a new formula won’t fix CPS.
There’s a big difference between fixing a broken system versus manipulating a new calculation until it comes out with the numbers you want.
Cullerton correctly recognizes that education funding is the number one priority of Rauner.
Rauner threw the GOP house and senate caucuses under the bus by ordering them to vote against the K-12 FY16 appropriation. And then he signed it. And then he boasted about leading the charge for increased K-12 funding.
Cullerton correctly realizes this is one of Rauner’s priorities and has an opportunity to partner with CTU. Brilliant move.
-amused- has it right. CPS is already getting too much. The only way to change it via the formula is to take more from the suburbs, who are already helping to pay for CPS.
CPS has the property wealth. CPS doesn’t get the local contribution they should. The problem isn’t the state formula, it’s Chicago’s property taxes.
So force realistic property taxes on Chicago or steal it from other communities. Only the first of those two represents anything resembling “fixing the system.”
The question is far bigger than just CPS, only on January 25, President Cullerton stated at the City Club ( http://www.cityclub-chicago.org/videos/detail/1058/hon-john-cullerton ) that there should be no k-12 budget passed if a revised version of the Manar funding reform bill was not approvable by the Governor. Now he has reduced that demand to only CPS.
I think there are real problems with the money transfers in the earlier versions of the Manar bill between the higher wealth lower poverty districts and outright poor districts. To hold harmless the higher wealth districts would cost at least $400 million based on his presentation to the City Club.
I agree with the President CPS does not get comparable funding to districts that pay little or nothing into TRS. The additional funding for special education via the CPS block grant is not equal to that funding. But this does not excuse the Senate President reducing his demand now simply to saving CPS as opposed to more comprehensive funding reform.
Not really sure why this is any more of an issue today than when he sent essentially the same message at the City Club a couple of weeks ago.
He said funding for Chgo schools has been lagging the rest of the state.
And he said the school funding formula was his poison pill in budget negotiations.
Maybe it’s his “directness” we don’t like? Maybe it’s that he spoke his truth and we don’t like it?
Maybe we can’t handle the truth.
But it’s high time someone started telling the truth.
At the City Club, he had said, the Governor has his Turnaround Agenda, well, here’s mine (school funding). And the Tweet above says it is a THOUGHT not an ACTION… yet.
If CPS were funded like the rest of the state’s public schools Cullerton has a point. But they’re not so his double down makes no sense. Why not say no funding for the state’s pensions until the Chicago pension system is bailed out too?
I heard of a scheme in the 90s by a railroad to reduce their property tax. The idea was if Metra wanted to use their tracks, they would sign the property over to Metra with 99-year lease-back/ buy-back options. Metra is tax-exempt, so a lot of property that was previously taxed and paid by the railroads would become tax-exempt. I never heard anything more about it, but I notice a lot of signs along tracks that say things like “Metra Property No Trespassing”. Does anyone know if these properties are taxed? Chicago has a lot of railroad tracks.
such pessimism. Try to be part of a solution, keeping the current realities in mind.
I am not aware of all the political history, the current funding inequities, or the source of the perceived need for retribution.
In the spirit of offering ideas, it seems completely fair to
– clean up old statutes that give any district extra money for anything
– set a state-wide property tax multiplier where every property, regardless of geography, pays the same (LOWER!!) rate. What could be more fair than this!
– change the Constitution to allow for other than a flat tax and charge a higher rate for income over $1m.
– etc.
I pay property taxes to two school systems. One is 5.2% of assessed value, the other is 4.5% Both are 62% of the total property tax bill.
This is how you get Illinois more attractive to people.
Cullerton is right. Perhaps if suburban and downstate districts had more skin in the game when it came to contributing to pensions, they wouldn’t agree to some of the ridiculous pension spiking that continues despite the 2005 pension law.
cdog suggested -– change the Constitution to allow for other than a flat tax and charge a higher rate for income over $1m.-
Ok. And while we are in changing the Constitution let’s remove the pension protection clause.
Fair trade!
THANK YOU! This is absolutely needed. It is one fo the worst, most unfair things I have ever heard. Why are public employee retirement benefits CONSTITUTIONALLY protected? NO ONE else gets this. It is an abomination to all that is fair. Eliminate it ASAP.
I don’t understand the strategy behind Cullerton’s rhetoric at all.
Why get down in the mud and play the governor’s misanthropic hostage-taking game?
By the way, hostage-taking is a game, and a diabolical one at that. Social services and higher ed were “squeeze the beast” targets from the get-go. Those premeditated hits were disguised as hostages.
Give Rauner credit — he’s been two moves ahead of the “chess masters” in getting what he wants.
Again, push all pension obligation onto the muncipalities that create them. Then allow municipal BK and we have the problem solved at many levels. CPS will go BK along with many other state districts and finally rationalize the crazy benefits that were “promised” without ever thinking economically rationally.
===I don’t understand the strategy behind Cullerton’s rhetoric at all.===
I think I do, but I’m not privvy to any inside info so this is just my instinct. First, let’s take a ride in the way-back machine and remember how Rauner’s strategy unfolded. He vetoed all of the budget except K-12. Then he ran into court to argue state employees should continue to get paid in the absence of a budget. The courts agreed.
Ensuring the schools opened and all employees got paid prevented the crisis from impacting the majority of stakeholders. That enabled Rauner to take and then hold the remaining hostages, to use poor college students and human service providers as a wedge against the Democrats in the legislature.
We wouldn’t be talking about hostages in February if the schools weren’t open and if there had been massive layoffs of public employees.
So, isn’t Cullerton’s strategy then, to deny Rauner the ability to do this again? And if that’s what he’s up to, then I’m on-board. Let’s put everything on the table. We’ve got until June 30th to get ‘er done.
With this tactic, Cullerton is calling the question.
Ok. And while we are in changing the Constitution let’s remove the pension protection clause.
Fair trade!
“THANK YOU! This is absolutely needed. It is one of the worst, most unfair things I have ever heard. Why are public employee retirement benefits CONSTITUTIONALLY protected? NO ONE else gets this. It is an abomination to all that is fair. Eliminate it ASAP.”
More of the same from the usual suspects. Illinois is economic free fall and is losing population, yet protecting the outrageous benefits of public workers is sacred. The state is being bled to death in order to pay for these ridiculous benefits.
Keep your heads in the sand as the state goes down the tubes. So sad.
===does that “pesky constitution” stop the Speaker from parading out an unconstitutional millionaires tax?===
You can parade anything you want, it’s those complaining about how that pesky constitution seems to have thought about what might need protecting even decades later. Two different animals you’re trying to get together.
(Tips cap to - Wordslinger - … with 9 days until Pitchers and Catchers report)
In addition to his half-billion dollar property tax increase, I believe the Mayor Rahm also proposed a separate property tax hike of about $175 mil just for CPS. I assume that has been put aside since the union talks collapsed. Does this mean Chicago won’t raise any more Chicago taxes until the rest of the state pitches in via an income tax increase and a load of state cash. Or maybe they won’t need to raise school taxes at all if Rauner and the GA cave.
Why am I bringing this up. Because I live in one of the suburbs whose hefty property taxes will go up if the suburbs and downstate are not held harmless under the latest school funding reform proposals. A whole lot of smoke is going up around Chicago politicians’ desire to protect their own constituents, even if at the expense of the rest of the state.
- Tone -, I can’t help that you don’t understand how a constitution works. The reason you think it’s more of the same is because that pesky constitution hasn’t changed.
Keep your head in the sand Willy. It’s worked wonders for the past 20 years. Illinois is almost last in job growth since 1990 and is now losing population after years of abysmal population growth.
Our Constitution is an abomination to all that is fair and just. Public employee unions and their protectors in State government are literally destroying Illinois.
- Tone -, ever the victim. Why not 21 years, 19… Ugh.
===Our Constitution is an abomination to all that is fair and just.===
Really? Because you can’t take away pensions from public sector employees? Jealousy isn’t a basis to claim the Illinois Constitution is an abomination.
===Public employee unions and their protectors in State government are literally destroying Illinois.===
“Destroy public employees, state be good”. Neanderthal thinking of hatred to public employees does not make the constitution an abomination.
Middle class private sector taxpayers are fed up and leaving. The state constitution IS an abomination to fairness. People are voting with their feet. Public unions are destroying Illinois.
- There is power in a union... - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 2:53 pm:
I think 47th ward is on to something. Rauner’s strategy hinges on managing the chaos. He has been very strategic in this regard. Heck he’s flat out helped unions get court orders forcing him to do things. Not because he’s mother jones. But because the controlled chaos serves his interests.
He is walking a fine line. Too little chaos is not enough leverage. Too much chaos and he risks republicans in the GA abandoning him and joining overrides.
“Our Constitution is an abomination to all that is fair and just.” Millionaires and their protectors are literally destroying the State of Illinois. Better!
- Way South of I-80 - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 3:12 pm:
I think we are missing something. Is there a way to see the whole conversation instead of just one line of it? Of course it is twitter, but could they have possibly taken this statement out of context?
“In the bankruptcy, the city cut $7.8 billion from payments to its retired workers, who saw their pensions cut by as much as 18 percent. The city also has escaped $4.3 billion in retirement health care benefits.
The pension settlement was central to the city’s financial restructuring — including the much-heralded “grand bargain” that has foundations, charities and even the Detroit Institute of Arts contributing to make up some of the lost pension money. But pensions were the big problem that put the city into bankruptcy in the first place.
It was the city’s desperate attempt to keep up with its pension payments in years past that ultimately led to the bankruptcy. That came in the form of payments owed on a complex 2005 deal created by the corrupt Kilpatrick administration that leveraged Detroit’s casino tax revenue to plug a $1.4 billion hole in the funds. Payments on those investments, called certificates of participation, totaled nearly $40 million due in June 2013, a payment the city missed because it was very nearly out of cash and just one month away from declaring bankruptcy.”
CPS’s problem is not the state formula - they get more than most schools. CPS’s problem is Chicago’s property taxes are to low. However, the state formula is a problem for other school districts.
I think Cullerton is simply helping his friend Rahm solve the financial problems for CPS. Cullerton is simply using Rauners game against him.
- 32nd Ward Roscoe Village - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 3:57 pm:
“The problem isn’t the state formula, it’s Chicago’s property taxes.” I only have my example to work from but my Chicago property taxes have gone up 1,200% in 24 years. I don’t know if other parts of the state have experience analogous increases. It seems high to me already.
Mama you have it half right, the problem for CPS is both the property tax rate and the funding formula as it relates to the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund. It will take both to stabilize the district, oh- and also some honest administrators along with a reasonable agreement with the CTU.
- Honeybear - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:25 am:
Can we stop with the hostage taking already!
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:26 am:
Wonderful. More hostages. What a way to govern. I’d rather my 11 year old son be in charge. At least he has an excuse to act like a child. These guys have no excuses.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:26 am:
If you want to force the mother of all show downs, put a brick on K-12 funding. That’ll get everybody to the table.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:27 am:
Yikes.
That’s just not helpful in November.
Hostage-takers lose. Why add your own hostage? Governors own, they always do, but the brazen verbiage will blunt the message enough to make an 8-figure Ad buy with that quote oh so very painful.
The Cullerton Press Shop is better than this. Seriously.
To the Hostsges”
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:28 am:
The difference here is that you can’t hold this hostage indefinitely, like you can apparently with MAP, higher education and human services, which no one care enough about to scream bloody murder.
#MAPMatters.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:28 am:
What’s good for the governed, is good for the Governor?
Gee thanks Rauner for forcing the Pandora’s Box of Blackmailing Hostage Taking open, and showing everyone how it is done!
It looks like the Democrats have discovered matches and gasoline too.
- Skirmisher - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:29 am:
Where my grandkids go to school in a deep Southern Illinois school district, there is no “homework” because there are an insufficient number of textbooks to permit kids taking them home. So I am not too impressed with arguments that our priority ought to be about funding Chicago schools fairly!
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:29 am:
Sorry,
To the “Hostages”
Can’t stand them held by Rauner, won’t abide by them being called out by Cullerton.
Geez, Louise, run approp bills with that premise, keep sikebt on the intention, let Rauner veto it.
It’s the same play in the playbook, this is an escalation, not helpful at all.
- cdog - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:29 am:
I interpret this as “this whole school funding thing is going to be a state wide package, everything fixed once and for all.”
As well it should be.
- A guy - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:29 am:
Yikes John. Have a cup of coffee and start over.
- historic66 - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:30 am:
Words cannot describe my thoughts at the moment. Unreal.
- historic66 - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:32 am:
===I interpret this as “this whole school funding thing is going to be a state wide package, everything fixed once and for all.”
As well it should be.===
I can’t be that optimistic. I wish I could, but I can’t.
- m - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:32 am:
And the message becomes?
“Cullerton holds up school funding until more money is sent to the mismanaged, bankrupt Chicago school system,” which plays everywhere outside the city limits (and even some places inside).
As for the continued push that Chicago is getting less than they should, I think there’s a belief that if you say it enough it becomes true.
And once again, everyone in the suburbs needs to take this seriously, they just declared war on your schools. Get ready for higher property taxes to cover CPS’s failures.
- Double Nickel - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:35 am:
Have a Snickers, Senator.
- Politix - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:36 am:
Cullerton has identified his own wedge issue. What now, southerners?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:36 am:
- A Guy -
Tell that to Rauner… Rauner has been holding hostages for 8 months now… you know that, right?
- Corporate Thug - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:37 am:
I highly, highly doubt he would do this considering the point you made Rich. His members would scream bloody murder. Next year, maybe. But not this year.
- My New Handle - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:37 am:
Governor’s response: “Meh.”
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:39 am:
=I interpret this as “this whole school funding thing is going to be a state wide package, everything fixed once and for all.”
As well it should be.=
For too long CPS operated by its’ own special set of rules. Now those rules have come back to haunt them. Go and look for yourself, the school code is littered with special legilsation for CPS. That is exactly how they were able to loot their own pension and create the unfunded mess they ave now. All the while CTU was silent, until the bill came, because they received some very nice raises. Shame on all of them. So no, I refuse to be held hsotage for their disaster. Rahm and Karen can duke it our on TV for all I care. I find it interesting that our independent press in Chicago is not asking former mayor Daley for his thoughts on the matter.
As for Cullerton- wow, matches and fire big guy. Just when I was thinking he was the adult in the room he says something this silly.
- AC - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:40 am:
I’ve never seen a hostage crisis combined with a Ponzi scheme before. At least I know now that the number of hostages will exceed the population of the planet soon, so there will ultimately be an end to the crisis
- Chemical_Riverside - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:41 am:
@Skirmisher It is my understanding that under the school funding changes Cullerton and others are proposing, your grandkid’s schools would likely end up with more funding. It is the wealthy schools in the collar counties that will get less.
- burbanite - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:41 am:
He better rethink this position and quickly or it is absolutely going to bite them in Nov. Why should Chicago’s mismanagement and cheaper property taxes be the suburban and outlying counties problem?
There needs to be comprehensive change, but that cannot and will not happen overnight. Are we trying to be the least educated state in the nation?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:43 am:
- m -
“Rauner Wants Bailout Of Chicago Schools, State To Take Over CPS?”
People don’t want state bailout (takeover) of schools either.
Rauner has the money to push this mistake, (If Cullerton continues a hostage stance), but this Bankruptcy/Bailout/Takeover of CPS? Yikes, that’s the “Ok, Governor, what do you think needs to be done?”
- JB13 - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:44 am:
One person’s hostage taking is another’s bargaining position.
- lake county democrat - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:44 am:
Yes, more hostages! Why?
Because Cullerton is right: after CPS’ bad management and CTU’s greed, nothing has hurt Chicago kids more than Illinois’ unfair funding system. And that’s not going to change outside of a crisis situation.
Say you took Cullerton up on his offer: “OK Bruce, if non-budget items are going on the table, EVERYTHING is going on the table.” CPS bankruptcy (stick the toxic swap and other debt on the bankers and CTU rather than the kids and poperty owners?) in exchange for structural change in how schools are funded and an elected school board? Actually the negotiation wouldn’t be that limited - it would involve giving Rauner SOME of his anti-union wish list and political reform (like, gasp, basic democracy and maybe the term limits that 80% of the state supports).
Nope, unthinkable Bad Cullerton! Get back behind Madigan where you belong.
- Amused - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:45 am:
Ironically enough the state aid formula (GSA) works the same for all school districts. What works differently is CPS receives mandated categorical funding based on their population and service level set in 1995. Those numbers are way out of whack now and CPS receives more money than it should. All other school districts have to file yearly claims and their mandated categorical are based on those claims not 20 year old service levels when the school population was much higher.
- m - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:46 am:
-cdog-
Actually fixing statewide school funding via a new formula won’t fix CPS.
There’s a big difference between fixing a broken system versus manipulating a new calculation until it comes out with the numbers you want.
- Austin Blvd - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:47 am:
Cullerton correctly recognizes that education funding is the number one priority of Rauner.
Rauner threw the GOP house and senate caucuses under the bus by ordering them to vote against the K-12 FY16 appropriation. And then he signed it. And then he boasted about leading the charge for increased K-12 funding.
Cullerton correctly realizes this is one of Rauner’s priorities and has an opportunity to partner with CTU. Brilliant move.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:49 am:
I would love to see/hear Rauner tell all of us again how he’s goin’ to take over CPS…
That Rauner, if it wasn’t for the pesky constitution or state laws, he’d be the governor he’d always dreamt he’d be, lol.
- Sue - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:49 am:
Can’t wait to hear the IEA position on this nonsense- I wonder what Cullerton does when his suburban Dem members begin to complain
- m - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:53 am:
-amused- has it right. CPS is already getting too much. The only way to change it via the formula is to take more from the suburbs, who are already helping to pay for CPS.
CPS has the property wealth. CPS doesn’t get the local contribution they should. The problem isn’t the state formula, it’s Chicago’s property taxes.
So force realistic property taxes on Chicago or steal it from other communities. Only the first of those two represents anything resembling “fixing the system.”
- Ahoy! - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:57 am:
Put it in a bill and call it for a vote!
- walker - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 12:06 pm:
Cullerton just handed the wedge and sledgehammer to Republicans running in competitive suburban districts.
- Rod - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 12:11 pm:
The question is far bigger than just CPS, only on January 25, President Cullerton stated at the City Club ( http://www.cityclub-chicago.org/videos/detail/1058/hon-john-cullerton ) that there should be no k-12 budget passed if a revised version of the Manar funding reform bill was not approvable by the Governor. Now he has reduced that demand to only CPS.
I think there are real problems with the money transfers in the earlier versions of the Manar bill between the higher wealth lower poverty districts and outright poor districts. To hold harmless the higher wealth districts would cost at least $400 million based on his presentation to the City Club.
I agree with the President CPS does not get comparable funding to districts that pay little or nothing into TRS. The additional funding for special education via the CPS block grant is not equal to that funding. But this does not excuse the Senate President reducing his demand now simply to saving CPS as opposed to more comprehensive funding reform.
- Austin Blvd - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 12:14 pm:
Not really sure why this is any more of an issue today than when he sent essentially the same message at the City Club a couple of weeks ago.
He said funding for Chgo schools has been lagging the rest of the state.
And he said the school funding formula was his poison pill in budget negotiations.
Maybe it’s his “directness” we don’t like? Maybe it’s that he spoke his truth and we don’t like it?
Maybe we can’t handle the truth.
But it’s high time someone started telling the truth.
- Anon221 - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 12:19 pm:
At the City Club, he had said, the Governor has his Turnaround Agenda, well, here’s mine (school funding). And the Tweet above says it is a THOUGHT not an ACTION… yet.
- Anonnymouse - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 12:19 pm:
-Skirmisher-
Any chance of a GoFundMe page (or something like that)? I’d donate…
- justacitizen - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 12:25 pm:
If CPS were funded like the rest of the state’s public schools Cullerton has a point. But they’re not so his double down makes no sense. Why not say no funding for the state’s pensions until the Chicago pension system is bailed out too?
- DuPage - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 12:29 pm:
I heard of a scheme in the 90s by a railroad to reduce their property tax. The idea was if Metra wanted to use their tracks, they would sign the property over to Metra with 99-year lease-back/ buy-back options. Metra is tax-exempt, so a lot of property that was previously taxed and paid by the railroads would become tax-exempt. I never heard anything more about it, but I notice a lot of signs along tracks that say things like “Metra Property No Trespassing”. Does anyone know if these properties are taxed? Chicago has a lot of railroad tracks.
- ArchPundit - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 12:54 pm:
====So I am not too impressed with arguments that our priority ought to be about funding Chicago schools fairly!
I think Cullerton would be open to addressing the situation in many rural districts at the same time.
- A guy - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 12:59 pm:
=== Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 11:36 am:
- A Guy -
Tell that to Rauner… Rauner has been holding hostages for 8 months now… you know that, right?====
Willy, have a cup of coffee and start over.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 1:05 pm:
lol, um, - A Guy -
Remember…
@RonSandack: I’m frustrated 2, but taking steps towards reforming IL more important than short term budget stalemate.
Rauner has had hostages for months.
Leave the coffee, take the Cannoli….
You’re welcome.
- cdog - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 1:05 pm:
such pessimism. Try to be part of a solution, keeping the current realities in mind.
I am not aware of all the political history, the current funding inequities, or the source of the perceived need for retribution.
In the spirit of offering ideas, it seems completely fair to
– clean up old statutes that give any district extra money for anything
– set a state-wide property tax multiplier where every property, regardless of geography, pays the same (LOWER!!) rate. What could be more fair than this!
– change the Constitution to allow for other than a flat tax and charge a higher rate for income over $1m.
– etc.
I pay property taxes to two school systems. One is 5.2% of assessed value, the other is 4.5% Both are 62% of the total property tax bill.
This is how you get Illinois more attractive to people.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way.
- A guy - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 1:07 pm:
Willy, and then there is today. The day the Senate President Leader said what he said up top.
You know….today. Here. Now.
- Chicagonk - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 1:09 pm:
Cullerton is right. Perhaps if suburban and downstate districts had more skin in the game when it came to contributing to pensions, they wouldn’t agree to some of the ridiculous pension spiking that continues despite the 2005 pension law.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 1:12 pm:
- A Guy -
I’m against hostages, even when Cullerton does it.
Do you think Rauner taking hostages is worth it.
It’s “Yes or No” - A Guy -, as Kristen McQueary says, “Simple…
If you’re against Cullerton hostages, what about Rauner’s?
“Yes” or “No”
- Anon2U - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 1:17 pm:
cdog suggested -– change the Constitution to allow for other than a flat tax and charge a higher rate for income over $1m.-
Ok. And while we are in changing the Constitution let’s remove the pension protection clause.
Fair trade!
- jim - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 1:19 pm:
what a gaffe — saying what he really believes.
- Tone - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 1:31 pm:
- Anon2U - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 1:17 pm:
cdog suggested -– change the Constitution to allow for other than a flat tax and charge a higher rate for income over $1m.-
Ok. And while we are in changing the Constitution let’s remove the pension protection clause.
Fair trade!
THANK YOU! This is absolutely needed. It is one fo the worst, most unfair things I have ever heard. Why are public employee retirement benefits CONSTITUTIONALLY protected? NO ONE else gets this. It is an abomination to all that is fair. Eliminate it ASAP.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 1:33 pm:
I don’t understand the strategy behind Cullerton’s rhetoric at all.
Why get down in the mud and play the governor’s misanthropic hostage-taking game?
By the way, hostage-taking is a game, and a diabolical one at that. Social services and higher ed were “squeeze the beast” targets from the get-go. Those premeditated hits were disguised as hostages.
Give Rauner credit — he’s been two moves ahead of the “chess masters” in getting what he wants.
But, geez, the things he wants…..
- Tone - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 1:33 pm:
Again, push all pension obligation onto the muncipalities that create them. Then allow municipal BK and we have the problem solved at many levels. CPS will go BK along with many other state districts and finally rationalize the crazy benefits that were “promised” without ever thinking economically rationally.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 1:36 pm:
===Why are public employee retirement benefits CONSTITUTIONALLY protected?===
To protect state employees from people like you - Tone -.
See, that pesky constitution works just fine, thanks.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 1:45 pm:
===I don’t understand the strategy behind Cullerton’s rhetoric at all.===
I think I do, but I’m not privvy to any inside info so this is just my instinct. First, let’s take a ride in the way-back machine and remember how Rauner’s strategy unfolded. He vetoed all of the budget except K-12. Then he ran into court to argue state employees should continue to get paid in the absence of a budget. The courts agreed.
Ensuring the schools opened and all employees got paid prevented the crisis from impacting the majority of stakeholders. That enabled Rauner to take and then hold the remaining hostages, to use poor college students and human service providers as a wedge against the Democrats in the legislature.
We wouldn’t be talking about hostages in February if the schools weren’t open and if there had been massive layoffs of public employees.
So, isn’t Cullerton’s strategy then, to deny Rauner the ability to do this again? And if that’s what he’s up to, then I’m on-board. Let’s put everything on the table. We’ve got until June 30th to get ‘er done.
With this tactic, Cullerton is calling the question.
- Jimmy H - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 1:46 pm:
Rauner is rubbing off on Cullerton… very sad
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 1:47 pm:
–===Why are public employee retirement benefits CONSTITUTIONALLY protected?===
To protect state employees from people like you - Tone -.–
LOL, Tone lobs a beach ball down Broadway, Willie busts a window on Waveland.
- cdog - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 1:47 pm:
Ok. And while we are in changing the Constitution let’s remove the pension protection clause.
Fair trade!
“THANK YOU! This is absolutely needed. It is one of the worst, most unfair things I have ever heard. Why are public employee retirement benefits CONSTITUTIONALLY protected? NO ONE else gets this. It is an abomination to all that is fair. Eliminate it ASAP.”
No comment.
- Tone - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 1:53 pm:
More of the same from the usual suspects. Illinois is economic free fall and is losing population, yet protecting the outrageous benefits of public workers is sacred. The state is being bled to death in order to pay for these ridiculous benefits.
Keep your heads in the sand as the state goes down the tubes. So sad.
- Pesky - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 1:53 pm:
does that “pesky constitution” stop the Speaker from parading out an unconstitutional millionaires tax?
- Century Club - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 1:56 pm:
Maybe this is his attempt to lure Rikeesha Phelon back.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 2:01 pm:
===does that “pesky constitution” stop the Speaker from parading out an unconstitutional millionaires tax?===
You can parade anything you want, it’s those complaining about how that pesky constitution seems to have thought about what might need protecting even decades later. Two different animals you’re trying to get together.
(Tips cap to - Wordslinger - … with 9 days until Pitchers and Catchers report)
- Cassandra - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 2:11 pm:
In addition to his half-billion dollar property tax increase, I believe the Mayor Rahm also proposed a separate property tax hike of about $175 mil just for CPS. I assume that has been put aside since the union talks collapsed. Does this mean Chicago won’t raise any more Chicago taxes until the rest of the state pitches in via an income tax increase and a load of state cash. Or maybe they won’t need to raise school taxes at all if Rauner and the GA cave.
Why am I bringing this up. Because I live in one of the suburbs whose hefty property taxes will go up if the suburbs and downstate are not held harmless under the latest school funding reform proposals. A whole lot of smoke is going up around Chicago politicians’ desire to protect their own constituents, even if at the expense of the rest of the state.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 2:13 pm:
===More of the same from the usual suspects.===
- Tone -, I can’t help that you don’t understand how a constitution works. The reason you think it’s more of the same is because that pesky constitution hasn’t changed.
As for the rest of your rant, “you hang in there”
- Tone - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 2:27 pm:
Keep your head in the sand Willy. It’s worked wonders for the past 20 years. Illinois is almost last in job growth since 1990 and is now losing population after years of abysmal population growth.
Our Constitution is an abomination to all that is fair and just. Public employee unions and their protectors in State government are literally destroying Illinois.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 2:44 pm:
=== It’s worked wonders for the past 20 years.===
- Tone -, ever the victim. Why not 21 years, 19… Ugh.
===Our Constitution is an abomination to all that is fair and just.===
Really? Because you can’t take away pensions from public sector employees? Jealousy isn’t a basis to claim the Illinois Constitution is an abomination.
===Public employee unions and their protectors in State government are literally destroying Illinois.===
“Destroy public employees, state be good”. Neanderthal thinking of hatred to public employees does not make the constitution an abomination.
You hang in there - Tone -
- Tone - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 2:50 pm:
Middle class private sector taxpayers are fed up and leaving. The state constitution IS an abomination to fairness. People are voting with their feet. Public unions are destroying Illinois.
- There is power in a union... - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 2:53 pm:
I think 47th ward is on to something. Rauner’s strategy hinges on managing the chaos. He has been very strategic in this regard. Heck he’s flat out helped unions get court orders forcing him to do things. Not because he’s mother jones. But because the controlled chaos serves his interests.
He is walking a fine line. Too little chaos is not enough leverage. Too much chaos and he risks republicans in the GA abandoning him and joining overrides.
- m - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 3:05 pm:
Agree with -47th and -there is power
It’s a call. But it doesn’t really mean anything until late summer. Which implies the sen pres doesn’t have much faith in resolution before then.
- burbanite - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 3:12 pm:
“Our Constitution is an abomination to all that is fair and just.” Millionaires and their protectors are literally destroying the State of Illinois.
Better!
- Way South of I-80 - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 3:12 pm:
I think we are missing something. Is there a way to see the whole conversation instead of just one line of it? Of course it is twitter, but could they have possibly taken this statement out of context?
- Tone - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 3:22 pm:
This story is very encouraging.
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2015/12/09/detroit-city-finances-one-year-bankruptcy/77063402/
“In the bankruptcy, the city cut $7.8 billion from payments to its retired workers, who saw their pensions cut by as much as 18 percent. The city also has escaped $4.3 billion in retirement health care benefits.
The pension settlement was central to the city’s financial restructuring — including the much-heralded “grand bargain” that has foundations, charities and even the Detroit Institute of Arts contributing to make up some of the lost pension money. But pensions were the big problem that put the city into bankruptcy in the first place.
It was the city’s desperate attempt to keep up with its pension payments in years past that ultimately led to the bankruptcy. That came in the form of payments owed on a complex 2005 deal created by the corrupt Kilpatrick administration that leveraged Detroit’s casino tax revenue to plug a $1.4 billion hole in the funds. Payments on those investments, called certificates of participation, totaled nearly $40 million due in June 2013, a payment the city missed because it was very nearly out of cash and just one month away from declaring bankruptcy.”
- Mama - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 3:41 pm:
CPS’s problem is not the state formula - they get more than most schools. CPS’s problem is Chicago’s property taxes are to low. However, the state formula is a problem for other school districts.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 3:41 pm:
If you’re citing Detroit, you’re credibility goes even lower.
Chicago isn’t Detroit.
To - 47th Ward -’s theory,
If it’s a “call”, waiting until after the Primary would have been ideal. Rolling this out now? Why be a hostage taker through March, through July.
Odd to go in with Rauner when the timing now makes it the weakest. April? Ok, but I am against hostages, so…
With great respect, - 47th Ward -, as always.
- Mama - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 3:43 pm:
I think Cullerton is simply helping his friend Rahm solve the financial problems for CPS. Cullerton is simply using Rauners game against him.
- 32nd Ward Roscoe Village - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 3:57 pm:
“The problem isn’t the state formula, it’s Chicago’s property taxes.” I only have my example to work from but my Chicago property taxes have gone up 1,200% in 24 years. I don’t know if other parts of the state have experience analogous increases. It seems high to me already.
- Rod - Tuesday, Feb 9, 16 @ 4:13 pm:
Mama you have it half right, the problem for CPS is both the property tax rate and the funding formula as it relates to the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund. It will take both to stabilize the district, oh- and also some honest administrators along with a reasonable agreement with the CTU.