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Cullerton gets a hostile earful from parents

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* Senate President John Cullerton probably thought that blaming Gov. Rauner for the lack of school funding at a school council meeting in his district would be a crowd-pleasing no-brainer. But, as Stefano Esposito of the Sun-Times reports, the parents at one of the city’s best schools weren’t buying it…

“I believe in my heart that nothing is being done on our behalf,” said Coonley parent Tracy Stein. “And that is so insulting and disingenuous to the people in this room and this community.” […]

“It just feels like there is a lot of finger-pointing at Gov. Rauner, who is a very easy target to point fingers at — his ideas are radical, as far as I’m concerned,” said parent Julie Greenberg. “But you guys have been there when this problem was coming.” […]

When asked what they could do to help Cullerton push his agenda, the Senate leader suggested they publicly sing the praises of Chicago schools. […]

“You’re telling us there is nothing you can do for us except encourage us to cheerlead our schools,” [Coonley school council member Jeff Jenkins] said. “With all due respect, that stinks. We deserve better.”

The crowd of about 60 people clapped loudly.

Oof.

* The Democrats can point to Rauner’s unpopularity and Donald Trump’s coming Illinois political disaster all they want. But it doesn’t change the fact that there’s very real anger out there in VoterLand at everybody in power right now. And the Democrats have a whole lot more incumbents than do the Republicans.

So, keep whistling past the graveyard to your heart’s content. But this may not turn out to be the year you think it’ll be.

As I’ve said before, a budget agreement would get the Democrats out of the way of the Trump/Rauner political trainwreck. But they don’t want to listen, so they could very well be part of that wreck.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 9:33 am

Comments

Rauner may be more at fault for gridlock, but voters out in voterland are frustrated with both sides on this budget mess. They blame Speaker Madigan slightly more than they do Governor Rauner. It’s a wash. It’s not a good year to be associated with Springfield, which means it’s a bad year to be an incumbent.

Comment by Downstate Dem Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 9:36 am
From what I have picked up, and I concede I am not as tuned as I used to be, the “Let Trump do our work for us” strategy was agreed to long ago. It seems to tantamount to attempting to parachute and just trusting gravity to do all the work for you. While it will work out, some effort and adjustments need to go into it too.

Comment by Downstate GOP Faithless Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 9:38 am
===They blame Speaker Madigan slightly more than they do Governor Rauner===

Not according to my polling. Not at all. Madigan is blamed much more.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 9:39 am
Couldn’t agree more. I have been saying this for months. If you talk to a lot of people, in their own arena; they tell you stuff. This has been building for months.

Thinking Trump is going to be the factor that saves GA Dems is a rubber crutch. Trump won’t win Illinois, but he’ll perform better than most people think. He’s a destination for people’s frustration. There are a lot of frustrated people.

Comment by A guy Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 9:40 am
The Governor has proposed the same funding to CPS as they received last year even though the enrollment is down. He has also advocated a stop gap budget until after the November election. The GA was supposed to be in Springfield working on these issues after the regular session ended and they have not met yet . No wonder the majority blame the Speaker.

Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 9:43 am
=== They blame Speaker Madigan slightly more than they do Governor Rauner. ===

Outside of Chicago, replace “slightly” with “way”.

Comment by Birdseed Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 9:44 am
Interesting, Rich. Do any polls measure the enthusiasm factor? More people blame Madigan and Rauner, but it seems like the anti-Rauner Democrats are very energized by him. Is the same dynamic at play on the other side - the anti-Madigan Republicans out in voterland? I always thought the Speaker was not very well known in voterland (although that has changed recently).

Comment by Downstate Dem Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 9:45 am
Outside of Chicago, the voters can’t do anything about Madigan, just the local reps, and those don’t tend to be Democrats. With the Governor threatening CPS, don’t really see Chicago voters acting against Madigan either…

Comment by dlapine Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 9:48 am
“the anti-Madigan Republicans”

They gave us Bruce, so yeah.

But it’s far more accurate to say “the anti-Madigan ILLINOISANS”, as the distaste really crosses party lines.

Comment by Chris Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 9:48 am
== “a budget agreement would get the Democrats out of the way of the Trump/Rauner political train wreck” ==

That’s exactly right. Madigan and Cullerton need to pass the Guv’s six month budget, declare victory, and get the heck out of town. They have presidential year political dynamics on their side, why screw it up?

Comment by Ricardo Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 9:50 am
Cullerton probably facing a backlash from CPS parents for holding up the legislation to elect the board members of CPS.

Comment by Vito Marzullo, RIP Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 9:51 am
==…nothing you can do for us except encourage us to cheerlead our schools.”==

You could ask Bruce to show his budget and/or fulfil his election promise of doing more with less (3.75%) or not punish the GA (at the polls)for the required tax increase.

Comment by Jocko Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 9:58 am
I doubt that the dislike for Madigan will have any impact on getting his minions elected. Most aren’t even contested. Others have just sat on their hands on this issue and completely ignored taking a position.

Case in point; my state rep Kelly Burke. I tried to find out what solution she proposes to solve this impasse, and what positions she has on what to cut and what tax increases she supports. There’s nothing on her website, and you won’t find her position anywhere if you google her name.

She’s uncontested and she’s completely unaccountable to her constituents, as are most in the GA. Even if there was open revolt against Madigan she’d get re-elected.

Lack of competition is the problem in Illinois politics, NOT term limits. That has to get laid on the Illinois GOP leadership’s door.

Comment by illinois bob Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 9:58 am
===You could ask Bruce to show his …====

In a crowd like that, you can’t ask anything. You just shut up and listen. Tell them you heard them, then go put together a strategy that proves that you heard them. They’re not ready for any explanations.

Comment by A guy Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:02 am
The Democrats have been steering that train for a long time. When it wrecks I’d like to see both parties suffer greatly. Although I don’t like Trump, I do understand why he has gained so much support. It the anybody but incumbent theory. And why not, just look at what the incumbents have done to the township, city, county, state and federal government.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:07 am
Listening to both sides right now is like listening to a bad broken record trapped in a Twilight Zone episode. It’s going to be a weird election year where some strange things are probably going to happen.

There is also going to be a lot more money and electioneering that the Illinois Democrats have not seen. If the Republican’s have built a ground game in some of these districts (and that is a big IF) I can see some of Madigan’s legislators getting upset.

This isn’t the Illinois Republican bad news bears team anymore.

Comment by Ahoy! Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:10 am
As I’ve been writing for over a year: Rauner is playing a long game. I wouldn’t say he and the GOP have nothing to lose, but they don’t have that much to lose: they live in a deeply blue state, deeply gerrymandered. He and the GOP benefit from the Democrats association with high taxes and he (and truth be told, much of the middle class) simply don’t care *that* much about program cuts to the poor (his nursing home business taught us that). Most suburbanites who talk politics are not talking about the state budget crisis, and those I know or have overheard who do are wary of the Democrats bailing out CPS.

Madigan knows it - that’s why he was so peeved when they cut a deal to fund the universities - until the budget deal hits the middle class he and the Dems lose ground. Not seismic levels, but definite losses.

Comment by lake county democrat Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:10 am
Blaming Madigan doesn’t mean anything unless that blame is transferred to other Dem’s throughout the state. Obviously were very early in that game but it hasn’t happened yet. And Rauner’s comments from yesterday coupled with a presidential election in 2016 suggest that it may not happen for awhile.

Comment by pundent Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:12 am
Coonley Elementary is one of the whitest, wealthiest schools in CPS.

Only 28% low-income, 62% white non-Hispanic, in a district that is 85 percent low income and 90% minority. And I am guessing the folks who show up at the PTA meetings are even more elite.

I wouldn’t sweat my boots if I were Democrats.

Comment by Juvenal Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:14 am
It’s said we get the government we deserve. In the year of the Trump voter, all bets are off. We are going to have a bunch of voters who don’t understand government, statutes, policy, cause and effect. All they care about is ‘throw the bums out’ without any thought as what happens as a result. That’s how we got Gov Rauner. However, the voters aren’t going to consider that because they bought the bridge that Trump is selling. No idea how this election is going to turn out.

Comment by Thoughts Matter Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:19 am
Just to add some background: Mr. Jenkins and Ms. Greenberg are married and have been spearheading the push for an elected school board. Mr. Jenkins has been mentioned as a possible candidate for alderman. Their displeasure with Sen. Cullerton may be more than it seems.

Comment by Grassbowl Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:34 am
First it is important to let Capt Fax believes polls are the real deal or else he gets all cranky.
Next think of Coonley and Francis Parker or Latin without the private tuition

Comment by Annonin' Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:36 am
Juvenal, playing the unnecessary race card I don’t think the poor minorities would like Senator Cullerton’s answer any better.

Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:40 am
Sounds like “education moms” more schools for less taxes…

Comment by Liberty Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:40 am
“Trump Political Disaster?” Hillary is the answer? I don’t think so.

Comment by The All Knowing OZ Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:41 am
“Outside of Chicago, the voters can’t do anything about Madigan”

You mean outside of Madigan’s district. I live in Chicago and can’t vote against him.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:50 am
= Illinois bob =

Kelly Burke was contested 4 years ago and she won big. Funny, the guy she beat was named “Bob” too.

Comment by Oak Lawn Pete Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:50 am
I’m always worried that the Dems learn the wrong lessons. Cullerton held up the elected school board and is basically Rahm’s guy. Just because people aren’t happy with Cullerton, doesn’t mean they’re embracing Rauner. There’s a wide gap between those two opinions.

Comment by Carhartt Representative Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:06 am
Pierre -

no one is playing the race card.

Demographically, the folks who were saying that Democrats are just as much to blame as Rauner are those most likely to be Republican in Chicago.

The post implied that the protests Cullerton faced were somehow representative. But that school and its parents are not representative of Chicago.

Comment by Juvenal Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:06 am
No one has tried harder, and been more successful in one of the two chambers, to advance education funding reform than John Cullerton. It’s ridiculous that he’s subject to abuse from the very parents he’s trying to help.

Comment by Upstate Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:09 am
I would bet that Madigan wants to lose seats. The Super Majority ain’t all it’s cracked up to be. Go back to be a plain old majority and make the Republicans put some skin in the game. He’s tired of being the bane of all that is Springfield.

Comment by PlayK8 Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:17 am
Maybe Coonley doesn’t represent Chicago, but let’s look at a high school that has improved steadily over the past few years and decades: Lincoln Park High School, which is one of the most diverse in the city and the state:
Makeup: Hispanic 34%, Black 23%, White 28%, Asian 11%, other 4%. Low income: 55%

The test scores have soared, college acceptance and scholarship $ award have grown rapidly and one of the greatest indicators of future success, especially in college, is attendance–steadily over 90%.

Renaissance 2010 and other programs have benefited these schools and these students–the cuts will derail this progress immediately.

Comment by 32nd Ward Roscoe Village Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:18 am
===I would bet that Madigan wants to lose seats===

He’s far too competitive for that.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:19 am
He’s tired of being the bane of all that is Springfield.

He shouldn’t be, since he is largely at fault.

Comment by Ron Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:21 am
@Oak Lawn Pete

=Kelly Burke was contested 4 years ago and she won big. Funny, the guy she beat was named “Bob” too.=

Yep, and I voted for him. Burke won 2 to 1 in a district with the 19th Ward and several “voter” cemeteries(LOL), not to mention part of Madigan’s Ward.

In the last four years, the Illinois government has gone from being problematic to an unmitigated disaster, and the honorable Ms Burke has kissed Madigan’s ring and did nothing to keep it from happening.

Democracy’s a funny thing. Voters get the government they deserve. Justice can be harsh.

Comment by Illinois bob Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:35 am
=The Governor has proposed the same funding to CPS as they received last year even though the enrollment is down.=

Big deal. When the state gives CPS 15% of state education funding and it has 20% of the students, “same funding” is still blatant discrimination and hostility toward poor, minority students in the state’s largest school district. The governor is making clear he only represents 2/3 of the state.

Comment by Upstate Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:38 am
== You’re telling us there is nothing you can do for us except encourage us to cheerlead our schools ==

Isn’t this EXACTLY what Rauner is suggesting to the parents on his media “tour”?

Comment by Dale Cooper Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:55 am
++++- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 9:39 am:

===They blame Speaker Madigan slightly more than they do Governor Rauner===

Not according to my polling. Not at all. Madigan is blamed much more.++++

Yes, the Speaker is blamed, but is individual Rep. So-And-So blamed? Do people in Rockford blame Rep. Wallace? I think those are the numbers we need to know about. Blaming the Speaker is easy, but do people in “voter-land” blame their individual Representative? I’m not so sure that they do.

Comment by Try-4-Truth Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:56 am
If the schools don’t open on time, every GA member and the governor will get stung, badly. And deservedly so.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:12 pm
Great. More parents need to give him an earful — especially since he continues to carry water for Rahm against the wishes of the people for an elected school board.

Comment by NSideLady Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:13 pm
Juvenal–
No one knows better than those middle class and upper middle class city dwellers that they have educational choices for their children, including moving out of the city and into the suburbs or even out of the state where there is more stability in public education. When they do that, it further erodes the city’s tax base and stability

Comment by 7th Scroll Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:28 pm
Rahm is about the only thing keeping Chicago from imploding. Could you imagine if Chuy were Mayor? The taxes he would dream up would kill us in a year.

Comment by Ron Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:34 pm
–When they do that, it further erodes the city’s tax base and stability–

Where do you get the idea that the city’s tax base is eroding? Have you priced Chicago real estate lately?

If anything, the middle class is getting priced out of the city.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:40 pm
Where do you get the idea that the city’s tax base is eroding? Have you priced Chicago real estate lately?

If anything, the middle class is getting priced out of the city.”

Not really, there are so many affordable neighborhoods and homes it’s strange for such a large US city. We are not DC, SF, NYC or LA.

Comment by Ron Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:45 pm
This not a good year for incumbents.

Comment by Keyser Soze Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:47 pm
Ron, the median price for a Chicago home or condo rose 12.3% in 2015 to $238,000. That’s 54% higher than the national median home price of $154,156.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-chicago-home-prices-push-up-0322-biz-20160321-story.html

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:56 pm
$238K for a home in the third largest City in the US? That is dirt cheap. The median price in LA is double that and they have lower incomes.

Comment by Ron Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:58 pm
Cullerton said something about Rauner’s k-12 only budget cuts CPS 700 million, while giving the rest of the state full funding. Cullerton is not going to go for that.

Comment by DuPage Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 1:46 pm
wordslinger - did you see the Tribune story about half the households in Chicago can’t afford it’s housing costs?

Comment by lake county democrat Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 3:01 pm
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-macarthur-foundation-housing-crisis-worries-0616-biz-20160615-story.html

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 3:02 pm
@Juvenal - I was there. I am an independent. I thought one of the most interesting things about the meeting was that Cullerton was attacked by outspoken *democrats* for being a big part of the problem and none of the solution. I know the people who spoke, they are definitely not Republicans. Cullerton was the only one who tried to lay all the blame on Rauner.

Comment by GuyInTheRoom Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 3:03 pm
That McArthur story is ridiculous. The median family income in Chicago Metro is about $80,000. The median home price is around $210K. That’s very affordable at those income levels.

Comment by Ron Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 3:10 pm
GuyInTheroom,
Yesterday, the governor says bankruptcy is best for Chicago schools.
But you decide to go after the one chamber that continually approves school funding that benefits Chicago?

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 3:12 pm
@Michelle - I was surprised Cullerton was attacked. He was attacked, IMO, for two reasons: 1) Creating part of the problem and 2) Having no solutions. While Rauner may be bringing the issue to a head, he definitively did *NOT* cause the problem. Cullerton, Madigan, CPS, and CTU own that blame. Cullerton and Madigan ushered through the Pension Holidays and that is the root of the financial mess.

Comment by GuyInTheRoom Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 3:49 pm
== Illinois Bob ==

You’re wrong. (Surprise!) Kelly Burke’s district does not include a single inch of Madigan’s ward.

Comment by RH Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 4:02 pm
–He’s a destination for people’s frustration. There are a lot of frustrated people.–

Wow, well said. I’m going to use that if you don’t mind.

Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 4:11 pm
–wordslinger - did you see the Tribune story about half the households in Chicago can’t afford it’s housing costs?–

I did, and Rich posted it here as well.

I think some people are missing the point when it comes to lack of population growth in Chicago.

I don’t think Chicago is going to get any bigger. I think it’s going to get wealthier and whiter, similar to what has been happening in New York for some time.

Population loss in Chicago has been largely in poor black neighborhoods. Immigration from Mexico, legal or otherwise, has been about a push.

But a blind man can see all those apartment/condo towers going up in the Greater Loop and beyond.

For crying out loud, look at Wolf Point, the South Loop, the Medical District, Greek Town, Fulton Market.

Google is in Fulton Market. McDonald’s corporate is taking over Harpo Studios. The residential is through the roof. Fifteen years ago, there wasn’t any residential there at all.

Gentrification is edging west to Garfield Park.

When that happens, katie-bar-the-door, because Garfield Park is a diamond. Fortunes are going to be made when the poor people get pushed out of there.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 4:41 pm
===Garfield Park is a diamond===

Yep. Some of the finest housing stock anywhere in the nation. And a great park to boot.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 4:44 pm
== “As I’ve said before, a budget agreement would get the Democrats out of the way of the Trump/Rauner political trainwreck. But they don’t want to listen, so they could very well be part of that wreck.” ==

So… Rich, does this means you think it is ok to throw the unions under the bus? Because Rauner will not agree to pass a budget unless the Dems throw the unions under the bus!

Comment by Mama Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 5:15 pm