Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Today’s number: $2.5 million

Posted in:

Illinois

* The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy owes millions to its vendors, including…

$777,837 for food service
$1,040,450 for facility operations
$224,565 for IMSA telephone and computing network
$22,910 for student transportation

* IMSA’s president says $1.3 million is more than 120 days past due…

A large portion, almost 80%, of IMSA’s budget is employee salaries [which are being paid under court orders], but what about the rest? Our remaining budget expenses include food services, maintenance, telecommunications, student transportation, utilities, supplies and resources (think IRC, science lab equipment and specimens, etc.). How are we paying for these important services? Well, the short answer is that we’re not. Our vendors realize that IMSA, as a state agency, has not received a budget. For the most part, they continue to be patient with us and our lack of payment.

* But he’s optimistic…

Will IMSA remain open through June 2016 and open next year in August 2016? There, I stated what many of you have been thinking and asking yourselves. Is IMSA still viable for the remainder of this year and into next year and into future years? My answer is “yes.” Why do I say this? I believe that IMSA is too important to too many people. We’re too important to Illinois and the world to “fail.” While we’re not “too big to fail,” we’re “too important to too many people to fail.”

I wouldn’t bet the house on that, or the Senate.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 3:48 pm

Comments

If Rauner were standing in East St. Louis right now he’d raise and eyebrow and say “Too important to fail…psshhhh….bye Felicia”.

Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 3:55 pm
“I believe that IMSA is too important to too many people. We’re too important to Illinois and the world to “fail.” While we’re not “too big to fail,” we’re “too important to too many people to fail.”

He hasn’t been paying attention.

Comment by Cubs in '16 Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 3:57 pm
“This one is easy, we don’t want any really smart high school students graduating in Illinois. They may figure out we’re destroying their public higher educational opportunities.” Faux Rauner

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 3:57 pm
What makes IMSA more important than MAP grants, Lutheran Services, SIU Dementa patients, colleges and others? Does the child of someone important ho there?

Comment by Thoughts Matter Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 3:58 pm
go there.

Comment by thoughts matter Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 3:58 pm
Well, I don’t want no Smart People
Don’t want no Smart People
Don’t want no Smart People
`Round here

The Bruce Rauner Higher Ed fight song.

Comment by My New Handle Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 4:01 pm
I’ve worked with IMSA and it’s really cool.

I can’t imagine Rauner keeping it around.

Sad.

Comment by Chucktownian Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 4:03 pm
Wow, there’s some world class denial there.

Hope is not a strategy.

Comment by Century Club Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 4:04 pm
Sorry, IMSA President. You are not “too important” to fail. Take off your beer goggles and look honestly at your partners in this relationship. Pay attention to their actions, not their words. Both sides have expressed regret for the budget impasse. Neither has the votes to act otherwise.

Comment by Pawn Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 4:05 pm
It’s only the best high school in the state (and easily in the top 20 in the country); but, what’s that compared to Brucie’s self-gifted tax break. Oh I forgot he has a one dollar salary- what a hollow joke that is. Guess gridlock is good for business and education alike.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 4:12 pm
===$777,837 for food service
$1,040,450 for facility operations
$224,565 for IMSA telephone and computing network
$22,910 for student transportation====

Here’s a list of people betting the house (and Senate) on it. I hope they’re right.

Comment by A guy Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 4:13 pm
The best and the brightest go to IMSA if they have the opportunity.

The shock waves of students and families that know how important IMSA… was…

STEM students dreamed of what IMSA would teach them.

Huge loss to Illinois.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 4:17 pm
>I believe that IMSA is too important to too many people. We’re too important to Illinois and the world to “fail.”

I agree. They are much more important than our state universities and our human service system. /snark

Comment by Earnest Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 4:18 pm
“too important” sounds arrogant and detached, but what else is he supposed to say? He’s a hostage with a knife to his throat. We know that warnings don’t help.
The situation appears to be described accurately as far as monies owed. Maybe it is a strategy to avoid panic and buy time until they find an “angel” to donate a couple weeks’ pay to bail them out(?)

Comment by Qui Tam Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 4:22 pm
Well, I don’t want no poor Smart People
Don’t want no poor Smart People
Don’t want no poor Smart People
`Round here..
There… I fixed it for ya.

Comment by Mama Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 4:23 pm
$2.5 million?? Thats hardly enough to run an unknown in a senate primary.

Comment by Langhorne Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 4:24 pm
I will be shocked if IMSA is open in the Fall without a budget. Not the $2.5 million, a budget.

IMSA is the beacon for STEM students to strive to attend.

Students come home on the weekends abd they aren’t talking about “next year”

IMSA was the incubator for the students who have the chops as sophomores to look at accelerated curriculum well beyond High School and apply technology and math and science to real world problems in a setting not unlike a collegiate campus.

Can’t just duplicate that.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 4:28 pm
Dr. Torres has always struggled with reality. IMSA is a nice asset for Illinois but hardly “too important” to be indispensable.

Comment by Dance Band on the Titanic Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 4:29 pm
I’m an IMSA grad. For a nerdy kid who’s high school didn’t have much to offer as far as STEM goes, it was a god send. I think it is a huge asset to Illinois and I will be very saddened if it dies like this.

Comment by ChicagoVinny Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 4:53 pm
Them Smart kids don’t need a special school, data shows that they will succeed wherever they go. Them smart kids is just dragging down the average test scores when the leave their home districts.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 5:09 pm
The BigBrain legacy continues to grow. Next move a Bill Mitchell bill to rename us West Indiana

Comment by Annonin' Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 5:13 pm
Is a hostage a hostage if the hostage doesn’t know its a hostage?

Comment by What's in a Name Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 5:33 pm
“We don’t want anyone in the State who can do math; they might figure out the budget and TA don’t add up.” … fake CK /s

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 5:48 pm
Rauner’s obsession with “winning” will continue to cost this State in both the short term and the long term.

Comment by Archimedes Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 5:57 pm
Another IMSA alum here. I second Vinny’s comments and Willy’s praise. I went there from a downstate school system with limited resources. I give back in time and money, but they need State dollars soon or the stellar faculty will leave this summer. The faculty are also the best and brightest, and can double their pay at private schools if FY17 funding isn’t there either.

And just as a reminder, IMSA was founded by a republican governor in the 80s and the Rauner Family Foundation has given IMSA over $100,000.

Consensus on this one should have been easier.

Comment by Right On Chicago Vinny! Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 7:19 pm
Rauner’s solution? IMSA alums will hold fundraisers and take care of it. We don’t need any more line items.

Comment by Dr X Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 7:53 pm
Bruce?
Diana?
Can you skip your holiday trip and cover thus, please?

Comment by cdog Thursday, Mar 24, 16 @ 8:06 pm