* Press release…
Today, JB Pritzker and Juliana Stratton unveiled their higher education plan at Illinois State University in Normal.
Bruce Rauner’s budget crisis took a toll on public colleges and universities — 7,500 higher ed-related jobs were lost, tuition spiked by an average of 7 percent, and enrollment plunged by over 72,000 students. The failed governor also proposed steep cuts to higher education, and it’s clear that real leadership is necessary to chart a new path for Illinois students. Here are highlights from JB and Juliana’s plan:
Increasing College Affordability
Increase funding for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) by 50 percent and raise the maximum MAP award each student can receive.
Using best practices from other states, establish a new state-administered student loan refinancing program.
Restore funding for community colleges and public universities to pre-Rauner levels.
Create a task force to put Illinois on a path to free college education.
Keeping Illinois Students in State
Expand eligibility for the new AIM-HIGH merit-based financial aid program so that 90 percent of Illinois households can benefit.
Create a common application process for all public universities in Illinois.
Ensure that community college credits transfer to public universities here in Illinois.
Increase promotion of Illinois’ public universities and community colleges to Illinois high school students.
Expanding Economic Opportunity and Promoting Innovation
Expand career and technical education and apprenticeship programs.
Create a new college completion program that bolsters student support services and expands bridge programs.
Launch new statewide competitions among students that reward and encourage entrepreneurship and innovation.
Provide small state-funded matching grants to university-based start-ups.
Support non-traditional students pursuing a degree or work certification.
More here.
* I’m told they’re not planning to implement all these programs in the first year, so while I don’t know how much I should include in my revenue-need “guesstimate” (which is currently at $9 billion), I’ll just guesstimate it at $150 million. That puts him at $9.15 billion, without a pension plan.
I’m also told that Pritzker wants to use marijuana and sports betting money to pay for it, but that’s probably not gonna be enough and he’s already promised that money for other stuff.
The campaign wouldn’t release a price list, but increasing MAP funding by 50 percent will cost $200 million. Increasing the size of MAP awards is unknown.
Restoring funding to pre-Rauner levels would cost $100 million.
Expanding eligibility of AIM-HIGH so that 90 percent of households qualify could be costly. Currently, the $25 million pilot program is reserved for those who do not have a family income higher than six times the national poverty rate.
…Adding… Pritzker told the Daily Herald editorial board today that he’d like to use sports betting money to pay for infrastructure. He’s said the same about marijuana revenues.
- Flat Bed Ford - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 3:02 pm:
Video of JB with taxpayer dollars…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szwclmmKwLg
- Maximus - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 3:07 pm:
These ideas sound excellent but without a funding source they are dead in the water. Just start taxing retirement income like every other state and now you have a wider tax base.
- Leatherneck - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 3:15 pm:
Another question to ask is what state offices, services, or agencies could see their funding further slashed or axed entirely in exchange for helping pay for this higher ed plan.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 3:15 pm:
just for reference sports betting revenue in 2017 in Nevada was $250 million with 4.87 billion being wagered.
to hit 4.87 billion bet in Illinois, every person (including minors) in Illinois would have to bet 380 a year.
Last year the total funds in (coins in the machine, not winnings then gambled) for Video Poker in Illinois was 5.1 billion (that blows my mind)
That’s what the sports books made, not what the state took in with taxes.
https://www.legalsportsreport.com/18130/nevada-sportsbooks-2017/
So you need us to become Nevada for sports betting and tax it like we tax video poker, or have the state become the bookie.
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 3:16 pm:
Here is a new soundtrack for JB
Everybody look to their left
Everybody look to their right
Can you feel that, yeah
We’re paying with love tonight
It’s not about the money money money
We don’t need your money money money
We just wanna make the world dance
Forget about the price tag
Ain’t about the uh cha-ching cha-ching
Ain’t about the yeah b-bling b-bling
Wanna make the world dance
Forget about the price tag
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMxX-QOV9tI
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 3:25 pm:
===…or have the state become the bookie.===
If this could work/fly… I’d like to see that model.
Cut out the middle-men…
- Yup! - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 3:26 pm:
JB is going to need more revenue then a progressive tax system, legal marijuana, and gambling expansion can provide. I believe retirement income is a great start to finding new revenue, or none of these programs ever get off the ground. The pension debt and decades of unbalanced budget have wrecked this state. The baby boomers got us into this situation, and should not count on millennials to solely bail them out.
Taxing retirement income might not win you an election, but it will help save Illinois.
- Henry Francis - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 3:30 pm:
Yah, that looks like a lot of money that we probably don’t have currently.
But I sure as heck would prefer we spend a billion dollars we don’t have on investing in education than spending a billion dollars we don’t have on penalties for late payments to vendors.
- Texas Red - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 3:33 pm:
classic Democratic party play book - avoid specifics on revenue (taxes) but promise lost of goodies.
- Cubs in '16 - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 3:35 pm:
‘Create a task force to put Illinois on a path to free college education.’
I wonder what exactly that “path” would look like considering our current fiscal challenges. Does this mean a two year degree? Four year? Graduate? With the current financial assistance programs in place, presuming they’re funded, most who want a post secondary education have access to one. They may have to put some skin in the game but it’s an investment in their future. I would rather see them work on a plan to lower the current tuition rates rather than free college for everyone.
- City Zen - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 3:42 pm:
Any marijuana revenue should be devoted to higher ed.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 3:44 pm:
===classic Democratic party play book===
“A chicken in every pot, and a car in every garage.”
Herbert Hoover (R-IA)
1928
I’m sorry for the digression. What were you saying about Democrats?
- MWNMNWWNM - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 3:51 pm:
‘What were you saying about Democrats? ‘
You had to go back 90 years to find a republican ? Speaks volumes I would say.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 3:58 pm:
===You had to go back 90 years to find a republican===
No, I went back 90 years to name the source of one of the most famous campaign promises ever made about free stuff. If I wanted to find a Republican who made a similar promise, I’d only need to go back a few weeks.
I can tell you have a hard time following along while the adults are talking, so I’ll make my point crystal clear for you: promising everything without mentioning the cost is a bi-partisan, time honored tradition going back to George Washington’s days.
Now go buy a vowel and stick right up there between that nonsensical name of yours.
- SSL - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 4:01 pm:
You’re dating yourself with that quote 47th. That’s 90 years old.
Creating a task force to put Illinois on a path to free college education sounds wonderful. I can’t wait to see what plan they develop. Then we can set up a task force to put us on a path to solve all the other problems. I envision the solution involves a big press that cranks out benjamins 24/7. Otherwise JB would have to tax anything that moves or breathes, and he promised he wouldn’t do that. Only the wealthy that can’t afford lawyers and tax accountants to dodge taxes should pay more, right JB?
- Because I said so.... - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 4:04 pm:
The suggestions sound like proposals from the legislative higher education working group. Some passed this past session and others were considered a heavier lift. Nothing new here.
The public universities need appropriate and predictable funding. Not let me starve you to death approach by Rauner.
- Earnest - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 4:05 pm:
Unsolicited advice for the Pritzker campaign: I’ve heard that you can pay for everything you want and lower taxes by eliminating all the waste and fraud, reforming pensions and selling the Thompson Center. /s
- Roman - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 4:06 pm:
Is the out-migration being fueled by students who qualify for MAP and Pell grants, or middle class/upper middle class students? I suspect it’s the latter, which would argue for more funding to be directed to the AIM HIGH program.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 4:14 pm:
Regarding community college credits, we already have the Illinois Articulation Agreement. Educate yourselves before re-inventing the wheel if you win in November.
- Freezeup - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 4:17 pm:
I’ll add to what Roman said: who is more mobile than a retiree? Tax them and an Illinois winter looks even less appealing.
- TominChicago - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 4:20 pm:
- Texas Red - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 3:33 pm:
classic Democratic party play book - avoid specifics on revenue (taxes) but promise lost of goodies.
You mean like how Rauner keeps promising to roll the income tax back to 3% while failing to identify what he would cut from the budget?
- Louis G Atsaves - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 4:27 pm:
If Pritzker promised new taxes would not hammer the middle class, then remove taxing retirement benefits from the equation.
He and the entire Democratic Party are championing additional taxes from weed to solve our fiscal messes in several categories. Whole lotta smoke/snark.
After the Democrats and some so-called Republicans portrayed Rauner as fiscally clueless or irresponsible, what is their plan after November 6th? To portray themselves as even more irresponsible or clueless?
No wonder so many are talking about moving away.
Sheesh . . .
- TominChicago - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 4:34 pm:
Louis Are you suggesting that Rauner was neither fiscally clueless or irresponsible? Because his never proposing a balanced budget suggests otherwise.
- Sue - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 4:53 pm:
Anyone seeing a pattern here?
- OneMan - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 5:02 pm:
You could make the state the bookie a couple of different ways.
You could deploy kiosks
https://kiosk.com/market-solutions/gaming-kiosks?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsa–s9TZ3QIVC0BpCh3sEwGZEAAYASAAEgJhq_D_BwE
and have them ‘phone home’ and have an operator run them and the state underwrites the action.
The state as the bookie obviously puts additional risk on the state for when a line is wrong, etc.
See the Eagles and the last Super Bowl. The state wouldn’t take bets that big, but it illustrates the risk some.
https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/sports-columns/todd-dewey/las-vegas-sports-books-buried-by-eagles-mystery-bettor-who-won-10m/
You would either end up with a model where it is almost everywhere (see the lottery) or have very limited locations (see OTB).
- Ole' Nelson - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 5:02 pm:
After the Democrats and some so-called Republicans portrayed Rauner as fiscally clueless or irresponsible
Rauner did not require any help with this. His actions or rather inactions were enough.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 5:33 pm:
Of course the outmigration of Illinois students is
middle class students. There is no shortage of assistance for those who financially qualify. Not anywhere. But middle class households just over the threshold of need are in a situation where having to pay for the total cost of their child’s education will put them in a lower place than those who qualify for help after paying for 4 years. So you send your kids to the best university you can afford. That has not been in ILlinois. Big Ten schools other than ILlinois pay merit scholarships for great students. No one can say that a Big Ten is a bad school, no matter where it is.
- Louis G Atsaves - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 5:53 pm:
@TominChicago, I’m saying Rauner was portrayed as being clueless and irresponsible by Democrats.
Just as the chief Democratic spokesman on this topic, the suddenly not so transparent Mayor Wannabe Mendoza.
- TominChicago - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 6:14 pm:
Louis he is fiscally clueless and irresponsible. He is now offering billions in infrastructure with no source of funding.
- Just Me - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 7:29 pm:
Does Pritzker have any ideas for how we can cut spending? Or is he all about tax increases?
- Lt. Guv - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 7:44 pm:
What’s missing is a “zero-based” review of each University’s mission and programs. Otherwise, it sounds good to me.
- Whatever - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 8:18 pm:
==“A chicken in every pot, and a car in every garage.”
Herbert Hoover (R-IA)
1928==
That was bragging about the prosperity the Republicans were creating, which would allow workers to afford to eat well and buy cars. It was not a promise that the government would give people these things. No comment on how well the promise was kept.
- 618er - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 8:26 pm:
======…or have the state become the bookie.======
===If this could work/fly… I’d like to see that model.
Cut out the middle-men…===
That’s effin’ golden..
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 8:35 pm:
The Raunerbits are working overtime, unfortunately Rauner won’t be paying you for the OT.
Pritzker is over promising, the old something for everyone. I’ll bet you anything he gets more done in his first term than Rauner did I his lone term.
BTW- Louis-LP et al- any comments on all of Rauners fantasy land promises from his meeting today? I will take your silence as “No, we are hypocrites”.
Good talk.
- cannon649 - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 9:24 pm:
“Pritzker is over promising, the old something for everyone. I’ll bet you anything he gets more done in his first term than Rauner did I his lone term”
Yes MJM will rise the taxes rates and JB will spend far more than the increase.
The deficit will increase big time.
Progressive Progress
- Jaxon - Wednesday, Sep 26, 18 @ 9:48 pm:
Anyone remember what Rauner promised ?
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Sep 27, 18 @ 6:43 am:
===That was bragging about the prosperity the Republicans were creating===
How’d that work out for everybody in the following decade?
- JS Mill - Thursday, Sep 27, 18 @ 8:14 am:
=Yes MJM will rise the taxes rates and JB will spend far more than the increase.
The deficit will increase big time.
Progressive Progress=
Welp, Rauner did that without a tax increase so maybe revenue to pay the bills like Minnesota would be a nice change of pace.
I see no comments about Rauner’s magic beans. Stay strong Raunerbots. Keep deflecting until November, looks like it is working./s