*** UPDATE 1 *** The House is now debating the higher ed funding bill. Check the live coverage post…
*** UPDATE 2 *** The House has overwhelmingly approved the measure 106-2. Democratic Reps. Jack Franks and Scott Drury voted “No.”
*** UPDATE 3 *** The Senate unanimously approved the bill.
[ *** End Of Updates *** ]
* The governor’s office and the House GOP Leader did a remarkable job of keeping things together yesterday, and then it all seemed to fall apart…
A bill to send $600 million to universities and community colleges to keep them operating until September was suddenly derailed in the House Thursday night, leaving the fate of the funding bill in doubt.
Illinois House members appeared poised to approve the bill that had bi-partisan support and, according to Republicans, would have been signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner.
However, the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan, suddenly announced that she would not be calling the bill for a final vote Thursday.
In the confusion that followed, Democrats said that House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago, had requested that the bill not be called for a vote last night.
“There was something going on with the Senate. I don’t know what,” Currie said after the House adjourned for the night. She walked away without further comment.
Um, no. But subscribers know more.
* AP…
Rep. Mark Batinick, a Republican from Plainfield, reminded lawmakers after the bill was postponed that prospective college students are deliberating where to go to school, with a May 1 deadline looming for their decisions.
“Congratulations, everybody,” he said, slapping away his microphone.
The money for the bill is possible because of a surplus in the state’s Education Assistance Fund, which takes a portion of income taxes for public schools and colleges. The funding proposal also has nearly $170 million in tuition grants for low-income students.
“The purpose of this bill is simply to provide emergency funding to our universities through the summer with the hope that we can continue to work on a budget so that we can fully fund them,” said Rep. Rita Mayfield, the Democrat sponsoring the measure.
* Tribune…
Some lawmakers said they shouldn’t support a deal on higher education funding that amounted to a massive cut. Others saw an opportunity to add spending on social services to the mix. After all, allies of Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner said he would support the budget bill without linking it to provisions to his political wish list known as the Turnaround Agenda. Perhaps they could get the governor to open up the state’s checkbook a little more.
“I think logic finally came in,” said Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo, who argued against the bill. “I think we have an opportunity now. Because of this, it shows that the other side is now willing to go forward with budget items that don’t have the Turnaround Agenda tied to it, which I think is a major breakthrough.”
A revamped proposal could emerge Friday to provide temporary relief for schools that have been forced to shed jobs and cut programs amid a record-setting state budget impasse. It’s the last chance before lawmakers take a one-week break. Many are eager to act amid intense pressure from universities and social service providers back home, and rank-and-file legislators have been meeting privately all week in an effort to reach a deal.
In a sign of how delicate negotiations remain, even the sometimes pointed Rauner struck a measured tone in a statement released by his office late Thursday.
* The statement was indeed measured…
“The Governor applauds the members in both chambers and on both sides of the aisle who are coming together to deliver emergency assistance to our universities, community colleges and low-income students. We hope the majority will respect the bipartisan agreement reached today and move the agreement to the Governor’s desk without delay.”
Considering the blowups of the recent past, you gotta give them credit for keeping an even keel. It wasn’t easy, by any means.
Some people just want the war to continue. But, someday it has to end. That process should start today. Pass this stuff and move the heck on.
…Adding… Democratic legislators need to keep these quotes in mind today…
“Well, I’m not sure what just happened because even the old hands here in the Capitol were surprised by this. But clearly, we’re at the point of existential crisis for some of our institutions. And there has to be a patch. There has to be a stop gap” [said Southern Illinois University President Randy Dunn].
Jack Thomas, president of Western Illinois University, was visibly angry and requested a few minutes to calm down before answering questions.
“We were all excited tonight, thinking that they were going to come to an agreement, and then BOOM! No budget right now, everything has been put on hold.”
A representative of Chicago State University - slated to close at the end of this month - had previously agreed to an interview but cancelled after the deal collapsed, telling me “We have nothing to say.”
