-By Warner Todd Huston
Unfortunately a bill that will allow schools to pull a bait-and-switch and pilfer funds that are supposed to go for other things and apply those funds to unapproved building projects has now passed both houses in Springfield. This means that schools might now be able to take funds that are supposed to be used for specific things and pour them into building projects (or any other use) for which the schools did not get voter’s approval. I wrote about this bill on April 28.
The way our system is supposed to work is that schools that want major new building projects or other such high ticket needs must go before the voters for a bond issue, for taxes to be raised. The voters say yes and taxes are raised or bonds issued to satisfy the school’s needs. But if voters say no, then the schools are supposed to do without. That is they way democracy is supposed to work.
But lo and behold special interests and consultants that make their living off our schools by consulting them on bond issues and spending plans wrote HB6041 that convinced lawmakers to allow schools to raid specified funds any time they feel like doing so and use those funds for whatever they want to use them for. This is now misappropriation of funds made legal.
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Illinois School Fund ‘Money Laundering’ Bill Passed by Both Houses”