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* My syndicated weekly newspaper column…

The genesis for this week’s legislative special session on education funding is Rev. Sen. James Meeks’ call for a boycott of the Chicago Public School system’s first day of fall classes. But a campaign threat is what really seemed to motivate Gov. Rod Blagojevich to take some action.

Meeks’ boycott idea was widely dismissed at first as a potentially harmful stunt. Reinforcing the notion among students that their schools are so lousy that attending classes is a waste of time is probably not a great message to send, no matter how bad the schools are.

Even so, Sen. Meeks (D-Chicago) has been able to sign up a growing number of fellow African-American ministers to his boycott idea.

African-American ministers represent one of the last bastions of support for the breathtakingly unpopular Blagojevich. So, if some of them are ready to revolt, he’s gotta be ready to listen.

The most interesting part, though, was when Meeks appeared on Fox Chicago Sunday, one of those “newsmaker” interview shows.

Meeks announced that he would run against Blagojevich if the governor ran for reelection in 2010.

“If he runs again, I’ll definitely run against him,” Meeks told the show’s hosts.

Meeks blasted Blagojevich during the program for not keeping his campaign promise to put $2 billion into education funding.

“He has failed in the area of education,” Meeks said.

Blagojevich always seems to respond best to threats like this. Meeks’ threats to run against Blagojevich in 2006 prompted the governor to pledge that aforementioned $2 billion for schools, which never materialized.

So when Meeks made yet another campaign threat, the governor didn’t wait to ask “How high?”. He jumped.

Blagojevich quickly called a one-day special session and then said he was considering bringing lawmakers back in September until they came up with a plan to fund education, even if the special sessions lasted until the November elections.

That’s pretty extreme, but the governor apparently wanted to head Meeks off at the pass. Right now, Meeks is the only potential black gubernatorial candidate in the 2010 Democratic primary. Keeping Meeks out would give Blagojevich a shot at the African-American vote, which could prove decisive in a multi-candidate race against a bunch of white Democrats.

Whatever happens, the special sessions will certainly provide a more constructive and positive outlet for the growing protest. Meeks and other members of the Black Caucus plan to showcase legislation that would “sunset” (the legislative term for allowing a law to die on its own by a certain date) local property taxes for schools by 2010.

The idea, based on the state of Michigan’s experience, is to create a “doomsday” deadline to spur some sort of action. Michigan sunsetted its own property tax several years ago and eventually settled on the sales tax as a replacement.

The obvious question is whether, and for how long, the governor will remain focused on this issue. He’s infamous for bouncing around from one bright, shiny ball to another without any serious follow-through. And Meeks is right that school funding reform has never been much of a Blagojevich priority.

Indeed, when the governor was asked last week about Meeks’ property tax sunset idea, he said he opposed it. When asked repeatedly by reporters if he had any funding reform ideas of his own, he dodged the questions.

The property tax sunset idea was opposed by just about every school group and union when it was introduced in the House earlier this year. But the Illinois Federation of Teachers is taking a second look at the plan in the wake of the latest developments. That doesn’t mean it will actually pass, but the proposal may have a little more life in it than some of us may have initially expected.

And if nothing happens? Well, the governor is off the hook because he called the special sessions. Blagojevich can revert to his favorite game of blaming House Speaker Michael Madigan for all the troubles in the world.

And Meeks will have demonstrated to his allies and the community at large that he has the influence to drive the state’s agenda. He might even be able to use this as an eventual springboard to higher office.

In other words, like always, education funding reform could turn out to be a “win-win” for politicians, and a “lose-lose” for students and parents.

Let’s hope not.

* Related…

* A tax increase for Michigan school funding is possible only if school districts cut costs, says Flint Journal columnist Peter Luke

* Towards An Equitable School Funding System: The system is broken and it must be fixed. We should therefore abolish it, by a date certain, so that the General Assembly and governor will be forced to develop an alternative, equitable, and just school funding system.

* A slush fund for the children

* Rev. Al Sharpton Joins In On CPS Boycott

* Eye on Chicago: School Funding

* Governor’s education fix remains a secret

* State report: Special tax districts too secret: Quigley and others think that when school districts are not allowed to capture natural tax growth, they are forced to hold referendums to increase their tax base, taking the dirty job of asking for a tax increase away from municipalities.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Aug 11, 08 @ 6:54 am

Comments

Can the state prohibit local communities from using the property tax for local school expenses. If not,
or if such a prohibition could be “got around” wouldn’t inequities persist, with wealthy communities easily absorbing a sales or income tax increase and elevating property taxes as needed. Leading to total tax burdens which will deepen the lack of economic diversity in many Illinois communities. In other words, public schools will become so expensive in many communities that only the well off can afford to live there. We are already seeing the gentrification of Chicago.

Comment by Cassandra Monday, Aug 11, 08 @ 8:09 am
“When asked repeatedly by reporters if he had any funding reform ideas of his own, he dodged the questions.” pretty much sums up the way the Gov “leads”. These special sessions are a joke, but since we have to pay the legislature for them when the State is in a fiscal crisis the Joke is on us the taxpayers. The Gov is going to burn through hundreds of thousands of dollars that could be used to fund substance abuse programs and homeless shelters when he has no solutions tobe offered or considered. Its not just he is leading by sound bite and press release, he is spending money the tate does not have. The Gov has offered more unsolictied ideas on how to address violence in Chicago, something that he should be leaving to the locals, then he has on how to handle the Illinois issue of school reform.

I have a simpler solution. keep the property tax method, set a Statewide rate for the shcool portion, and drop it all in one big fund that is disbursed by head count. Every student gets the same x amount funded from the State. Let students who do not want to go to their public school recieve a voucher for half of X which can be collected by the private school. For every voucher used for a private education the other half of the money goes to the local school system.

Comment by Ghost Monday, Aug 11, 08 @ 8:12 am
Again, surrealism from the governor. Recession, budget cuts, fed investigations, no capitol bill, upcoming election — it’s a perfect time to tackle education funding. The political capital, goodwill and trust he’s built up over the years will certainly foster a productive environment.

The saddest part is there was a chance to do this with Democratic control of government the last six years.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Aug 11, 08 @ 9:30 am
Why would even the poorest school district give up property tax revenue that is deposited directly into their accounts to rely strictly on Springfield for their revenue? There is no trust.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Monday, Aug 11, 08 @ 2:33 pm
Why would any school district trade a large per student stipend which is uniform througout the State for a much smaller stipend based only on local revenue?

Comment by Ghost Monday, Aug 11, 08 @ 2:41 pm
“Towards An Equitable School Funding System: The system is broken and it must be fixed. We should therefore abolish it, by a date certain, so that the General Assembly and governor will be forced to develop an alternative, equitable, and just school funding system.”

Great idea ! But don’t set the date too soon with Gov Goofy & these legislative leaders in ‘power’. People are freaking about CPS kids staying out ONE day; the Equitable School Funding System concept with this ‘IL govenment’ should guarantee kids a whole YEAR off.

Comment by RE: Equitable School Funding System Monday, Aug 11, 08 @ 3:50 pm