Today, the Rauner campaign is launching a new digital ad titled “Yep,” as Illinois students are starting the new school year.
The ad centers around the tax credit scholarship program signed into law by Governor Rauner designed to help low-income students. But JB Pritzker has made it clear that he will immediately get rid of this program if elected, denying these students the opportunity for a better future. This is in spite of the fact that Pritzker paid zero state income tax in 2014 due in part to him claiming tax credits for educational expenses.
The ad features footage of a press conference in April in which Pritzker was asked about the program.
“We’re going to get rid of them,” Pritzker said of the tax credits.
This is JB Pritzker. He took tax credits to protect his wealth. In fact, he paid no state income tax in 2014 after taking tax credits. But as Governor, JB Pritzker would end tax credits that helps low-income students. The hypocrisy is clear. Tax credits for Pritzker, but not for low-income students.
Early figures show 28 percent of the scholarships are going to kids who don’t qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. A family of four can make up to $73,800 and get one or more scholarships; once they’re selected they can make up to $98,400 without losing their tuition help. While poor kids are supposed to get priority under the law, that doesn’t necessarily happen. Kids who live in a low-performing school district also get priority. And donors can designate funds to specific schools. If scholarship groups can’t find enough free-lunch kids at that particular school, they can give the designated funds to non-poor applicants (more on this below).
Some school choice advocates are fine with this; they’re pushing for the middle class to be included in tax credit scholarship programs. Enrollment of middle-income students in private schools has been falling.
It looks like many scholarship winners were already attending private school.
This has also happened in other states. Many Illinois private schools made sure to get the word about the scholarships out to their families; some held application events so their students would have a better shot at the new first-come, first-served scholarships. At St. Mary Star of the Sea School on the Southwest Side, 30 kids are getting tax credit scholarships. According to Principal Candice Usauskas, two-thirds were already students there. All seven kids who will attend Frances Xavier Warde with taxpayer help were already students at the school, according to the group that awarded their scholarships.
We may never know how many scholarship winners were already attending private schools because scholarship groups aren’t required to report that information.
