* BR (Before Rauner) this sort of hostile language against a chamber’s leader would get a staffer fired. We obviously no longer live in BR…

SIU, EIU, WIU officials next on their budgets, all cutting jobs, programs. Gov says skipping pension pmts could help higher ed.

— IL Senate Democrats (@ILSenDems) March 10, 2016

.@ILSenDems false. Gov waiting for you to file your pension reform bill. Where is it?

— LTrover (@LTrover) March 10, 2016

.@LTrover @ILSenDems Answer: Cullerton implied to me in hearing he can't muster votes inside his caucus. Maybe Madigan won't let him yet.

— Richard Goldberg (@rich_goldberg) March 10, 2016

Whew.

* But Sen. Kwame Raoul did go off on the Prince of Snarkness yesterday in committee…

Oof.

…Adding… Sen. Raoul was apparently responding to Goldberg’s statement about how the last time he appeared before the committee the Senate Democrats were holding “sham” hearings to end negotiations and vote down the Governor’s proposals. Goldberg’s “YouTube” comment refers back to one of those hearings where Raoul again lost his temper. Click here.

* Goldberg said this yesterday at the hearing regarding the pension reform plan…

“We will support any language that the Senate President puts forward”

He qualified it by adding something about if the bill saves money. But, still. That’s a pretty broad invitation for Democratic poison pills.

Any suggestions?

* While we’re somewhat on this topic, here’s a letter from the governor’s education czar…

Dear Superintendents,

Yesterday a letter addressed to me was sent to you by Senate President Cullerton regarding funding Illinois PK-12 schools. Luckily, the letter was also printed in Capitol Fax, so I also had a chance to read it.

To reiterate, Governor Rauner’s proposed budget has three primary goals:

1. End proration of the current funding formula, which disproportionately affects low-income students.
2. Increase early childhood funding by $75,000,000 in order to increase the number of full-day preschool seats available statewide and to ensure continued operation of the current programs.
3. Continue to fund Safe and Alternative Schools.

If passed by the General Assembly, Governor Rauner will sign the bill immediately into law, thereby allowing you to begin planning for 2016-2017 school year.

The Governor agrees and has stated repeatedly that the current funding formula is inadequate. Illinois is last in state support for local education and has some of the largest funding disparities in the country on a district-by-district basis. We believe that more money is needed to support our children, especially those who live in poverty. We have pledged to continue to work with supporters of reform to determine how to create a funding formula that better meets the needs of all children.

Given the history of formula change efforts during times of one-party control, such a compromise will likely not be reached quickly in the current climate. President Cullerton and other Democratic lawmakers did not threaten to hold up school funding last year or years prior — only now that Governor Rauner has been in office for one year. During this first year, the Governor has proposed record funding for PK-12 schools in two consecutive budgets and is hoping to end proration for the first time since 2009. Again, I urge you to support his proposal so that schools open on time in the fall while we continue to work together toward bipartisan funding formula reform.

Sincerely,

Beth Purvis
Secretary of Education

Thanks for the free advertising, Beth, but the governor still has to explain how he can support a funding plan that appears to slash Chicago Public Schools by $78 million. C’mon.