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Controversy over school construction continues

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Illinois

The governor’s decision while on a quasi campaign trip to release $1.9 million to repair a downstate school has created a furor in the usual quarters.

Lawmakers and school administrators have called on Gov. Rod Blagojevich to release more than $148.5 million for school construction that was originally promised more than five years ago.

Blagojevich sparked controversy last week by promising $1.9 million to repair aging parts of Carterville High School, while 24 other school districts deemed the neediest in 2001 still have not been helped. […]

Some of the school districts have fronted the money to begin construction and are awaiting reimbursement from the state. Others are running up against deadlines to raise local money needed for the projects.[…]

The Blagojevich administration blasted Republican lawmakers, who organized the press conference, for repeatedly voting against a public works program it claims would have funded school construction. “The hypocrisy is overwhelming,” said Rebecca Rausch, a Blagojevich spokeswoma

This Kankakee Daily Journal story was typical of the response.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s recent comment that he wants to shake up the state’s school construction priority list has two area superintendents wondering when they’ll see the money they’ve been promised for years.

“We still need the money, our taxpayers were promised the money and they deserve to get the money,” said Manteno Superintendent Dawn Russert.

Manteno and the Bradley Elementary School District are waiting on $2 million state grants. The districts are among 24 that have been on the state’s construction priority list since 2002 but have gone without because lawmakers haven’t approved a capital budget.

Russert and Bradley Superintendent Scott Goselin joined other superintendents and a handful of Republican lawmakers for a news conference in Springfield Friday asking Blagojevich to honor the priority list.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Sep 11, 06 @ 9:04 am

Comments

Whadda ya bet he suddenly releases boatloads of money close to election day, but just to the districts where he’s weak?

Somebody had a great nick recently: “Roddy Appleseed.”

Rod lies, steals, cheats, deceives, misleads and laughs all the way to the bank.

If he is re-elected, it would suggest that most Illinoisans are just pathetic little suckers for snake oil.

Come on, Illinois, show some testicular verility.

Comment by me Monday, Sep 11, 06 @ 9:13 am
Do the republicans have enough votes to block anything?

Comment by Wumpus Monday, Sep 11, 06 @ 9:35 am
The Carterville $1.9 Million was for repairs, not construction. It is a great example of creating a political slush fund from the extra money the Bush tax cuts have created. Even if the Construction money were there and released, the new school it anticipates would not be there until three years from now.

The local share from the proceeds of a bond issue remains escrowed. Taxpayers are paying debt service on these Bonds without a school in sight.

Meanwhile, back on the ranch (old radio drama program lead in), construction costs escalate since the original budget was approved by the Board.

On the other side we have Jersey County in which the School District and the State Sdministration connived to build a school the taxpayers did not want — failed at referendum. That puppy is in litigation.

Comment by Truthful James Monday, Sep 11, 06 @ 9:39 am
Funny thing.

Last year the state legislature approved extending the “early retirement option” fro the IFT and IEZ members so that they could retire at age 55 at 75% of base salary.

I understand the “avearage” teacehr retiring in 2005 had a atarting pension of about $60,000 in that year.

If I recall correctly, the cost of this program to the state was about $835 million over three years.

That’s where your school construction money went, folks.

Where were all these “Education advocacy” groups(Speak Out for Illinois Schools, A+ Illinois, Better Funding for Better Schools, Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, etc.) when this was being passed, to call out for the money to be spent on our childrens’ education instead of buying teachers and adminstrators beach houses in Florida?

Strangely silent, as their union taskmasters wanted them to be!

Comment by PalosParkBob Monday, Sep 11, 06 @ 9:51 am