Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives
Previous Post: State-backed workers’ comp insurance idea attacked by biz groups
Next Post: *** UPDATED x1 *** Rauner says he’s talked to Cullerton about budget “quite a bit”
Posted in:
* From the Civic Federation…
House Bill 109, which has been called the ‘lifeline’ bill, allocates a total of $817 million. Of that amount, $559 million is appropriated for higher education, with more than half for Monetary Award Program (MAP) tuition grants for low-income college students. The remaining $258 million goes to human services. […]
(M)oney for the lifeline plan comes only from two State accounts designated specifically for higher education and human services under State law. Without appropriations by the General Assembly, money accumulating in the two funds may not be spent. […]
Without the lifeline bill, higher education has received average annual funding over the last two years of 41.8% of the level in FY2015, the State’s last year with a full budget. Even if the lifeline plan is enacted, higher education would still receive average annual funding of only 56.2%. Spending on higher education totaled $1.9 billion in FY2015, compared with total funding with the lifeline appropriations of $2.2 billion for FY2016 and FY2017 together. The funding shortfall, based on the FY2015 annual amount, is $1.7 billion. […]
With the lifeline bill, funding for MAP grants would reach an annual average of 83.5% of the FY2015 level. Without the lifeline appropriations, MAP funding for FY2016 and FY2017 has provided for less than one full year of grants. The additional funding will cover the first semester of the 2016-2017 school year and part of the second. […]
The human services funding shortfall is harder to measure than the gap for higher education because most of the historical funding for the area has been provided through court orders and consent decrees. Without any appropriations, the State spent $4.68 billion on human services in FY2016, compared with $5.43 billion in FY2015. Programs not covered by court orders or consent decrees include home care for seniors who are not eligible for Medicaid, community mental health services and addiction treatment programs.
The Governor’s FY2018 budget book shows a remaining funding shortfall of $571 million for human services in FY2016. GOMB officials estimate the gap for FY2017 at $381 million, bringing the total two-year amount needed to $952 million. Lifeline appropriations of $258 million would cover 27.1% of the shortfall.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, May 1, 17 @ 11:17 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: State-backed workers’ comp insurance idea attacked by biz groups
Next Post: *** UPDATED x1 *** Rauner says he’s talked to Cullerton about budget “quite a bit”
WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.
powered by WordPress.
Any chance the gov signs this thing? There is precedent to believe its possible - K12 budget anyone? All GOP no votes and it got the Gov.’s signature? Just sayin’. News is getting pretty bad out in the hinterlands. If it gets bad enough the Gov has a tool on his desk that would make him a hero with many, if only for a short time.
Comment by hot chocolate Monday, May 1, 17 @ 11:30 am
scratch that - the gov will have a tool on his desk if the Senate passes it.
Comment by hot chocolate Monday, May 1, 17 @ 11:31 am
How this can be seen as controversial I’ll never understand.
Comment by filmmaker prof Monday, May 1, 17 @ 11:41 am
I don’t think that it is controversial, but it does not fit into the “Starve the Beast” plans that the Governor has for Illinois.
Comment by Ole' Nelson Monday, May 1, 17 @ 11:55 am
We can’t have money taken from taxpayers being spent on their intended purposes.
Motivationally challenged GOP lawmakers tell us such measures detract from their “focus” and relieves the “pressure” to enact a full budget.
Reneging on contracts and hosing MAP students is just one giant dose of Ritalin to help these lawmakers achieve their full potential.
But after two years, apparenlty they need to up the dosage. Perhaps the schools not opening on time next year will be enough “pressure” to help them “focus.”
Comment by wordslinger Monday, May 1, 17 @ 11:59 am
filmmaker prof – “How this can be seen as controversial I’ll never understand.”
Two reasons- leverage and Rauner Bucks
Rep. Steve Andersson, R-Geneva, said releasing the money and would remove the impetus to work toward a full budget.
“The problem is when you vote yes for this, what happens? The pressure gets released off of us again,” he said. “You can call me a hostage taker, feel free. It’s been done before. But the reality is we don’t do things around here without pressure.”
Democrats accused Republicans of scrambling to come up with ways to oppose the measure after Rauner came out against it a day before. They contended that the state GOP has relied on Rauner’s personal wealth to revitalize the party.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/
Comment by Anon221 Monday, May 1, 17 @ 12:12 pm