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* UPDATED x1 - Meeks explains his silence * Meeks goes silent as SB 1 fight cranks up

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James Meeks, the pastor of Salem Baptist Church in Chicago, ran for the Illinois Senate as an independent in 2002 and won. Afterward, he made school funding reform his priority.

He told anyone who would listen that the school funding formula was a disaster and proposed an income tax increase and property tax swap. When his bill couldn’t get out of committee, he launched a series of protest marches, taking Chicago school children to New Trier High School in Winnetka to emphasize the disparities in school funding.

Working with Republicans and Democrats, Meeks eventually got a very complicated tax bill passed out of the Senate that would have raised $5.2 billion in new revenue, with much of that money — more than $2 billion — going to education.

House Speaker Michael Madigan killed the bill, enraging Meeks, who after leaving office endorsed Bruce Rauner, a Republican, for governor.

Rauner named Meeks to the state board of education, where he serves as chairman.

You may be aware that a bill has passed the state Legislature altering the school funding formula. It does not send billions of new dollars to education. It is, however, aimed at sending what meager new revenues there are to poorer school districts.

Rauner has vowed to veto the measure, claiming it includes a bailout for the Chicago Public Schools pension system.

I tried to reach Meeks this week to see what he has to say about all of this. I was told by the state board’s communications director that Meeks is not doing any interviews on this topic.

So the guy who was once the outspoken champion of school children is now silent.

I was thinking about calling Meeks today. Maybe I still will. He needs to speak his mind about this topic.

*** UPDATE *** Chairman Meeks just called me. He pointed out that one of the quickest ways to undermine an attempt to mediate a fight is to start talking to the press.

In a situation like this, with hate and mistrust at epic levels, Meeks said, “Anything that you say they think you’re on the other guy’s side.” From my own experience dealing with these guys, I couldn’t agree more. Right now, he’s able to talk to everyone, but that role would end pretty quickly if he started expressing his opinions.

So, Meeks says he’s not talking to anyone in the media until this battle is over. “I wouldn’t do an interview for the Jesus Gazette,” Meeks said.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 2:34 pm

Comments

Totally agree with you, Rich. A person can’t just go silent after all he was trying to do earlier. Makes it look like he is bought and paid for by Governor 1.4%. Probably is just that.

Comment by Big Joe Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 2:42 pm
yeah, the go silent trick. some people go silent and then suddenly reappear after not doing anything about an issue. others go silent and go away. this guy goes silent while having a position of authority. hypocrite.

Comment by Amalia Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 2:46 pm
The fact that he has sat silent for the last 2 and half years while his endorsed candidate tried to leverage the needs of the state’s most vulnerable citizens to bring down organized labor is damning enough.

Given all he claimed to be fighting for over the years, remaining silent on this bill is unimaginable.

Comment by slow down Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 2:48 pm
Please call him.

Comment by Real Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 2:48 pm
Actions speak louder than words. In this case, Meeks is screaming - by Meeks’ inaction on SB1 and everything else as well.

Comment by East Central Illinois Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 2:51 pm
A resignation now would send a loud message.

Comment by Upstate Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 2:57 pm
Good luck. Meeks doesn’t want to get crossways with Rauner.

Comment by Norseman Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 2:58 pm
Meeks needs to speak his opinions. Why go silent once you are put in a position of power? It makes no sense and seems you would rather please someone in power instead.

Comment by Real Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 3:08 pm
To the update: I agree with Meeks’ reasons.

Comment by Nick Name Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 3:15 pm
Hopefully he is trying a little behind the scenes persuasion on all parties.

Comment by RNUG Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 3:18 pm
Is the Jesus Gazette one of those Proft papers?

Comment by holier than Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 3:26 pm
What, aside from his current position, did he get from Rauner? His silence speaks volumes about his real feelings about kids enrolled at CPS.

Comment by Flynn's mom Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 3:26 pm
Jesus Tronc, Inc.

Comment by Dome Gnome Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 3:32 pm
“ran for the Illinois Senate as an independent in 2002 and won.”

Nope, he had to run as a candidate of the Honesty & Integrity Party because at that time Illinois election laws violated the 1st and 14th Amendments of the US Constitution and illegally kept all independents candidates off Illinois ballots for more than 25 years.

Comment by Jeff Trigg Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 3:34 pm
I didn’t realize Meeks still had credibility on this issue after he signed on to an administration headed by a dude who clouted his daughter out of New Trier to take the spot of a true Chicagoan child in the best CPS school.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 3:36 pm
The Jesus Gazette a new publication by Dan Proft.

Comment by DuPage Bard Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 3:37 pm
Money talks, Meeks doesn’t.

Comment by jimk849 Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 3:37 pm
Meeks is not going to bite the hand that feeds him.

Comment by Huh? Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 3:40 pm
Who pays Meeks salary? That’s the answer pure and simple.

Comment by Professor Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 3:41 pm
Not a fan, but did anyone see Proft talking about a potential tax credit scholarship program as part of SB1 compromise? Here’s a link -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ514dWhcN4&feature=youtu.be. The discussion starts at 15:00 in.

Comment by Spiritualized Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 3:50 pm
To the update: that’s a legit reason to stay quiet. Has he actually been involved behind the scenes?

Comment by Roman Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 3:53 pm
the Jesus Gazette would be a great parody twitter account.

Comment by Ahoy! Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 4:02 pm
Who is the IPI education propagandist who will take over after his resignation? Bet he gets a raise. Can’t do govt work without more money than the guy you replaced.

Comment by Dr X Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 4:06 pm
While I appreciate his thinking, I expect Superintendent Meeks is going to quickly find out that attempting to mediate between Rauner and pretty much anyone is a fool’s errand. It’s what he does at that point that will be telling.

Comment by Pelonski Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 4:22 pm
I find it funny that we call politicians media wh**es all the time, and then when an official decides to stay off the record, we call him a coward. Let them work instead of trying to find their stance on a subject just so you could ridicule that stance.

Comment by BuckinIrish Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 4:23 pm