Springfield….On day 2 of 4 scheduled Special Session days, State
Representative John Cavaletto (R-Salem) is urging Senate President John
Cullerton to send SB 1, the revamped school funding formula bill, to the
Governor’s desk. The Senate has been holding on to the bill for more than 6
weeks, something Cavaletto says is a purposeful manipulation of the democratic
process.
“The
Chicago politicians that run the House and Senate are putting pressure on
school districts and families and trying to create a crisis of schools not
opening on time to score political points,” Cavaletto said. “They are using
school kids as pawns in a high stakes political blame game.”
Cavaletto
says the Senate is holding on to the school funding bill instead of sending it
to the Governor because the Governor has pledged to take out a provision in the
bill that allows Chicago to move to the front of the line to receive money to
bailout Chicago public schools’ underfunded pensions.
“SB 1 as
it currently is written would prioritize paying Chicago pension debts over
increasing funds for schools in southern Illinois. That isn’t fair. That money
should be going to classrooms in southern Illinois,” Cavaletto said. “Governor
Rauner has promised he will fix SB 1 using his veto power. We want to make sure
that all districts in Illinois receive equitable and adequate funding. That’s
what the Governor’s amendatory veto will accomplish and I fully support him.”
After two
press conferences on Wednesday where Governor Rauner singled out Chicago
Democrat Senate President John Cullerton for holding back the school funding
bill, Cullerton said he plans to send SB 1 to the Governor on Monday, July 31,
which is also the final day of 4 planned Special Sessions.
“This is
a completely avoidable crisis that the Senate President and Speaker Madigan are
causing,” Cavaletto said. “Why are they waiting? People are tired of this. I’m
tired of this. Our children don’t deserve to be treated this way. I’m calling
on Senate Democrats to do what’s right and send SB 1 to Governor Rauner so he
can fix it now.”
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