Chicago area lawmakers and local School Council Members join the governor and senate president in calling for increase in school funding

CHICAGO - Dozens of Chicago area lawmakers and local school council members joined Governor Rod Blagojevich and Senate President Emil Jones at the Franklin Fine Arts Center today to voice support for their efforts to reach a budget agreement with the other legislative leaders that includes more money for K-12 education.  Twenty legislators signed open letters to students of the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) vowing to support revenue-generating measures included in the budget approved by the state Senate that will enable the state to boost funding to CPS by $106 million.

 

"It's easy to say you're for more money for schools, but when faced with a two-billion dollar deficit, it's a little harder to prove you mean it," said Gov. Blagojevich.  "Both chambers of the General Assembly passed legislation this spring that would boost the state's share of education funding.  But a lot of those legislators later backed down when it came time to figure out how to pay for the increase.  I'm proud to be joined today by these committed leaders who understand that - though it won't be easy - we cannot turn our backs on our school children.  Democrats in the state Senate held together to pass a budget that reflects our priorities, but also details how we can pay for them.  That budget and the determination of those legislators, should serve as our standard during the ongoing budget negotiations."

 

Under the budget passed by the state Senate and supported by the Governor, the state would increase its spending on K-12 education by $250 per student, which would mean an additional  $106 million for the Chicago Public Schools next year alone.  The money is desperately needed by the District, which is facing $100 million in cuts to balance its budget for the upcoming school year.