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* I don’t think I’ve ever done this before, but take a look at the ad below by the Invest in Kids Act proponents for background if you need it. From the Illinois Freedom Caucus…
The IL Freedom Caucus today is issuing the following statement on the proposed Invest in Kids Act changes, which would keep the program going another five years but would reduce the maximum tax credit dollar amount from $1 million to $500,000 and would reduce the total overall scholarship opportunity amount from $75 million to $50 million.
“This proposal is a non-starter. It will not make the program permanent, and it reduces the available funding for scholarships. The best course of action would be to extend the program and to expand it. This school year alone, the scholarship program has helped 9,500 kids escape failing schools. There are 26,000 applicants in need of scholarship help. But instead of helping kids, it appears the Legislature is dead set on making it harder for this program to help kids in need.
The scholarship money for the Invest in Kids Act comes from private donations and amounts to just 0.9 percent of the budget for public schools. It does not use existing tax dollars or take away any funding from public schools. Illinois Education Association opposition to the Invest in Kids Act is a disgrace. We call on our colleagues to do right by our students, expand this program and make it permanent.”
The Illinois Freedom Caucus is comprised of State Representatives Chris Miller (R-Hindsboro), chairman; Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City), vice-chairman; Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich); Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville); Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur); Jed Davis (R-Newark) and David Friess (R-Red Bud). The members of the Illinois Freedom Caucus are members of the Illinois General Assembly who are advocating for limited government, lower taxes and accountability, and integrity in government.
All or nothing, apparently. Same as it ever was.
But that, as they say, appears to be the ballgame.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:00 pm
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===All or nothing, apparently===
No half loaves.
What about the children?
Burn it all down if we don’t get it all.
What a message to continually tell your allies… we don’t deliver because we won’t deliver compromises.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:14 pm
===It will not make the program permanent===
To me, that is a feature, not a bug. Let’s just axe this thing for good. Want to help kids? Donate from the goodness of your heart, not from the goodness of your 1040.
Comment by Jibba Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:20 pm
=“This proposal is a non-starter. It will not make the program permanent, and it reduces the available funding for scholarships. The best course of action would be to extend the program and to expand it.=
Well then, get your votes lined up, bring different legislation for a vote and then pass it. But you will need more than 7 votes to make that happen.
=This school year alone, the scholarship program has helped 9,500 kids escape failing schools.=
Evidence please? Not every school a kid left is a failing school. I am not sure any are. Show Us the list please.
=There are 26,000 applicants in need of scholarship help.=
They want scholarships. They don’t necessarily need them or qualify for them.
Have any of these guys passed a government class or understand how this whole passing laws thingy works?
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:20 pm
So the Gomer can get the credit for killing this giveaway. Very smooth
Comment by Annonin' Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:21 pm
==does not use existing tax dollars==
But prevents taxes being paid that would otherwise be owed.
Comment by Big Dipper Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:21 pm
===“…The best course of action would be to extend the program and to expand it. …===
Ya can’t even guarantee 71/36 to the compromise with your own added support.
There’s no real grasp how it all works, that legislatin’ business, and why…
…if you tell folks you actually need “take it or leave it, expand it while you’re at it too”…
… they’re gonna leave it.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:22 pm
==who are advocating for limited government, lower taxes and accountability, and integrity in government.==
Lower accountability lol.
Comment by Big Dipper Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:23 pm
It’s the crisis pregnancy centers all over again. You want to donate scholarships? Do it privately without taking from somewhere else. But it’s never been about helping families, it’s about owning the libs.
Comment by 48th Ward Heel Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:24 pm
==It does not use existing tax dollars==
…but, for every dollar donated, siphons 75 cents away from state coffers.
Comment by Jocko Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:24 pm
Seven marginal members declaring something a non-starter. Gotta love the delusions of grandeur.
Comment by ArchPundit Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:26 pm
I’d call Ken Griffin to set, in perpetuity, roughly 18,000 fully funded (remember, “full price” for the school… full price) scholarships.
That’ll show everyone.
Oh. No tax credits, no state involvement, just serve up the cash.
I’ll wait. I packed a lunch, two even.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:28 pm
Darren Bailey and the Freedom Caucus get to take credit for opposing cuts to the tuition tax credit.
They probably counted heads and realized it wasn’t getting to 60 votes and getting called on the floor anyway.
But now, they can “take credit.”
They can also “take credit” for killing the low-income set asides, which in their Us v. Chicago world view (which has absolutely nothing to do with race, right?) was a nonstarter.
To be honest, the fundamentalists don’t much like the Catholic church, either. JB saying he would sign it was icing on the cake.
When nobody gets what they want, everyone loses the same, and in an odd way, everyone wins.
As they say on CapFax: “Always bet on nothing.”
Comment by Thomas Paine Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:29 pm
How are they coming up with the list of people who want it but don’t get it? How does the changing of the law change that? It was not ever at full capacity so there were not any more donations and more were not appearing.
Comment by DTownResident Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:35 pm
===it wasn’t getting to 60 votes===
Needs 71
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:36 pm
The most important freedom, after all, is the freedom from legislating.
Comment by vern Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:41 pm
I’ve never heard of many mainstream journalists calling “progressives” the “hard left”.
Comment by Steve Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:41 pm
- Annonin’ - is on it.
Think on this.
The Dems are/were cornered that they’d be the ones left “hurting the kids”, not getting it across the finish line.
Then? Well, then the Governor stated he’d sign whatever was on his desk. Whew. All the heat on the Dems. For it to pass, gotta get Dems on board.
The Mensa Caucus has decided the smart politics is to ask for… expansion, same, or nothing… all but putting the compromises, that the Governor even says he’d sign (he’d sign anything) not only in jeopardy, but making it all DOA… and the Dems won’t catch the blame because these Mensa folks wanted to make sure they got full credit for blowing it all up.
I despise watching bad politics, but this is actually Pritzker (maybe?) knowing after 5 years of these folks, they’ll blow it up before the Dems do so let it play out?
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:44 pm
As Wordslinger might have said, “anyone who wouldn’t take half a loaf wasn’t very hungry.”
Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:45 pm
I would second all those saying there is nothing to prevent those who want to, from donating to the schools or setting up their own scholarships. They just can’t do by reducing their taxes which support other state needs.
Comment by Banish Misfortune Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:46 pm
The “solution” has never been for some kids to “escape” failing schools while other kids stay behind. As always with conservatives, the whole premise of “school choice” is “every man for themselves”.
If you want to help every child, instead of diluting public funding by spreading public dollars among more (private) schools or reducing the tax base like this program, you need to improve public schools. Heck, close “failing” schools if you have to and put that money toward non failing schools, if you can back that up, but this whole idea is flawed from inception.
Comment by Perrid Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:46 pm
==…but, for every dollar donated, siphons 75 cents away from state coffers==
Money that should remain in state coffers to help fix DCFS and other troubled agencies, and to invest in more agency staff.
Comment by Stuck in Celliniland Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:48 pm
===I’ve never heard of many mainstream journalists calling “progressives” the “hard left”.===
That’s your big takeaway on this post? nap time.
Comment by Baloneymous Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:49 pm
Wanting a pie, up against odds that you will get no pie, and believing starving will be better than accept an offer of a few pieces instead of the whole pie. Because that worked so well from 2015 to 2019.
Comment by fs Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 12:50 pm
4. Encourage more middle-income donors by crediting donations of up to $5,000 with a 100% tax credit.
This is a big win, no?
Comment by City Zen Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 1:10 pm
Freedom caucus backs JB’s veto
Comment by Rabid Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 1:13 pm
Good position, it was going to be hard-pressed to pass with 71. From their perspective being the final vote on a bill that helps kids in Chicago is not in their wheelhouse of how to claim wins.
The advocates missed the obvious here, just because it was put in place by Republicans doesn’t mean Republicans will always vote for it. This was a Rauner “win” during the school funding formula change. None of the Freedom Caucus were Rauner people.
Also, IEA/IFT don’t go and say thank you to them. They have already put out that taking money from you is a no-go. If you say thank you they may take it as they are now your friend and with you, they don’t want that at all. As the DC Speaker fight has gone on remember they could possibly switch back again if they think your friendship is worse for them than the Invest in Kids Act.
Comment by Frida's boss Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 1:30 pm
===If you say thank you they may take it as they are now your friend and with you, they don’t want that at all===
Don’t give the Mensa Caucus all that credit. Two level logic isn’t their strong suit. That’s why the default to Two Step Logic is a “conspiracy theory”
They’ll take the “L” and think they’re tricksters.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 1:36 pm
=the scholarship program has helped 9,500 kids escape failing schools=
This is the money quote right here that gives away the entire game. They definitely don’t want to provide tax dollars to help these allegedly failing schools to get better. They want them to fail. And then they want all of the other public schools to fail. And then they can control the message and indoctrinate at will
Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 1:48 pm
===I’ll wait. I packed a lunch, two even.===
Mike Ehrmantraut pimento?
Comment by Anyone Remember Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 2:01 pm
===Mike Ehrmantraut pimento?===
Aw, now you’re just showing off. Totally in my wheelhouse.
Problem there is I usually save that for Masters Week (Masters Pimento, amirite?) even the Derby has me rolling out a pimento cheese “sangwitch”
If they take too long, I’ll make a few, send ya one even.
:)
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 2:05 pm
These hard right types aren’t interested in governing. At all. They want what they want and if they don’t get it exactly as they want it then they are going to take their ball and go home. They are media hounds. That’s it. Get their name in the paper. They are useless.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 2:06 pm
From the story, I reverse two clauses:
=== it appears the Legislature is dead set on making it harder for this program to help kids in need === escape failing schools ===
That is the problem with the whole idea. “IF” the schools are failing, taking money away from them and giving it to private schools does not solve the problem.
“IF” === the scholarship program has helped 9,500 kids escape failing schools ===, how does that address the problem? It does not. The solution is not to abandon the public school system and create a “free market” economy for education. If that were a solution, it would already exist. Unfortunately, the purveyors and users of private education have never intended to create a privatized system for all.
The calculus of vouchers does not allow (and was never intended to allow) for better education to be shared. It is premised upon hoarding hoard educational resources, and expanding those resources in house with the assistance of new taxpayer funded revenues from those who do not have access to that same private education.
Comment by H-W Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 2:10 pm
I just love the irony of the GOP. “No handouts!” Unless, of course, it is one they can manipulate to further their narrative. They remind me of a bunch of entitled and spoiled toddlers.
Comment by Barbie Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 2:14 pm
Compromise has way to many syllables for people who just say No all the time.
Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, Oct 24, 23 @ 3:02 pm