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Illinois

With an election in less than two weeks, state government in a shambles and lawmakers looking for cover, this would not be a good time to accept anything coming out of Springfield at face value.

Case in point: The Illinois House voted 110-4 on Thursday to allow Chicagoans to elect their own school board.

In one fell swoop, House members overwhelmingly turned aside two decades of opposition by Chicago’s mayors to let the people control their schools, as Democrats and Republicans joined together in blissful solidarity with the Chicago Teachers Union.

Or just as likely House Speaker Mike Madigan allowed everyone to fool themselves again with a pre-election maneuver, the purpose of which we mere mortals may never know.

I’m not sure why he’s confused. He solved the mystery about why this bill passed twice in his first four paragraphs…

With an election in less than two weeks

a pre-election maneuver

* And, of course, there’s this, which is pretty much identical to what I told my subscribers earlier…

After talking with a few more folks, the consensus is that Speaker Mike Madigan, as usual, had some personal reasons to let this bill go forward. That is helping his own re-election prospects against the first real primary challenge he’s faced in many years. Electing school board members polls awfully well.

It polls well everywhere in the city.

Plus, since Emanuel ally President Cullerton is the Senate sponsor, there’s little to no danger that it’ll actually become law.

Campaigns win, issues lose. It is always thus.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Mar 4, 16 @ 12:32 pm

Comments

Bread and circuses for all.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Friday, Mar 4, 16 @ 12:39 pm
Why would Rahm not want an elected school board? I would think having an elected school board would take the heat off of Rahm.

Comment by Mama Friday, Mar 4, 16 @ 12:45 pm
–It polls well everywhere in the city.–

Why wouldn’t it?

For years the schools have been run by people with no skin in the game who’ve gambled and lost hundreds of millions in the SWAPS market.

I was writing stories 25 years ago about local governments losing their shirts to the banksters with SWAPS.

Some “friend” comes and sells you on a great idea to make free money. In reality, the only one who can’t lose is the middle man.

They would have been wiser to go to the boats and put the money on “red” at roulette.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Mar 4, 16 @ 12:51 pm
Mama– CPS, from the Mayor’s perspective, is not just about education. It’s about the contracts and jobs. Always has been.

Comment by Keyrock Friday, Mar 4, 16 @ 12:53 pm
Mama- even if the Mayor doesn’t control it, the Mayor still gets blamed for it. And of course there is still the patronage jobs and contracts that goes with the control.

Comment by Not it Friday, Mar 4, 16 @ 1:00 pm
All politics aside, it’s inarguable that total mayoral control of CPS has failed. (Thanks again, 1995 Amendatory School Reform Act!) But a 20-member hyper-political school board does not sound like a cure.

A hybrid appointed/elected board might be the way to go. That would preserve some mayoral accountability while adding some much need dissenting voices.

Comment by phil T. Friday, Mar 4, 16 @ 1:08 pm
The Illinois House also voted 98-14 on Thursday “overwhelmingly” in favor of Chicago levying a separate tax to fund pensions. Guessing this little tidbit won’t be included on any political flyers…

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocTypeID=HB&DocNum=4579&GAID=13&SessionID=88&LegID=93750

Comment by nixit71 Friday, Mar 4, 16 @ 1:10 pm
So…..Madigan will pass an elected school board bill but won’t allow a change to the education funding formula he helped create and Rahm blames…..Rauner. ok.

Comment by Rahm's buddy Friday, Mar 4, 16 @ 1:54 pm
Rats.
When I heard this tidbit on the radio, I thought to myself that this is a promising development. At long last, a little bit of hope that sanity had returned to Springfield.
I did not consider these electoral realities and my tiny bubble of hope and promise has been burst.
Rats.

Comment by Jake From Elwood Friday, Mar 4, 16 @ 2:01 pm