This was sent out by Americans for Prosperity Illinois, but I want to be sure and direct your attention to the info about SB 2494, the school voucher bill. This is a very important bill that is soon to be considered in Springfield. This bill would be good for education in Illinois.
It appears that the legislative leaders will once again fail to show the courage to make the tough decisions and will be passing the buck to Gov. Pat Quinn forcing him to decide funding levels for most state programs in FY 2011 and more than likely authorizing more borrowing. In a recent
This so-called “extension” of authority to Quinn will not change Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution: “The legislative, executive and judicial branches are separate. No branch shall exercise powers properly belonging to another.” But it will shift the blame to Governor Quinn for another horrific debt induced state budget. It is clear that the legislative leaders will not position themselves as the ones to be held accountable for their inaction during this election year. Speaker Madigan and his caucus are setting up the Governor to be the sole decider of who and what agencies will feel the pain of much needed budget cuts. The big questions will be, where and if any revenue enhancements will be snuck into “Shell Bills,” how much borrowing will take place in order to falsely claim a balanced budget, and where will budget cuts be taken?
AFP-IL believes lawmakers are nearing a deal on gambling expansion and clearly they are preparing for more borrowing to pay for state operations. Also, we need to look for more of those “fund sweeps” taking money form dedicated sources (robbing Peter to pay Paul) and it appears that another tobacco tax increase is in the offering.
With one week remaining in the regular legislative session, a few things are all but certain, the governors proposed income tax is all but dead for now, our states budget will once again be a sham and most disturbing is that substantive budget, Medicaid, and long-term strategic free market planning reforms will not occur this session.
We are left with the realization that “November is Coming” and we all MUST take action to hold our elected officials accountable.
Chicago School Voucher Bill Update
Senate Bill 2494, the Illinois School Choice Program has seen a flurry of action over the last several weeks that has gone a long way to repair the once flawed bill and now has secured growing support in the House of Representatives and may be voted on this week.
This bill would create a pilot program to provide children with vouchers to enroll in private schools that meet state education standards. To be eligible, children would need to satisfy income qualifications and would need to be currently attending any of the academically lowest-performing ten percent of Chicago elementary schools. SB 2494 has already passed the Senate 33-20 and the House’s Executive Committee 10-1.
AFP-IL believes strongly that school choice can play a pivotal role in creating competition amongst local school districts that are woefully underperforming. This type of competition is a piece of the complicated puzzle that begins to hold school districts and teachers more accountable for our children’s education.
SB 2494 was modeled after Milwaukee’s voucher program which is the nation’s oldest voucher program, created by the Wisconsin Legislature in 1990. There is a lot of confusion on the question of costs. For those that share those concerns, AFP-IL has identified the following two articles that address the cost and success of the Milwaukee voucher programs:
National Association of School Boards
MPS and voucher school students
AFP-IL has been monitoring this legislation and is pleased to see that lawmakers appear to be taking actions that address many of the flaws in the initial initiative. SB 2494 does not appear to be in its final form. We understand more amendments are in the works. At this stage of the process, an amendment changing the entire thrust of the bill can be filed and adopted and then can be passed in the House and concurred with in the Senate and on its way to Quinn in just a couple of hours. However it appears, that further amendments will be of the tinkering type. We’ll stay close to this one.