Minority-Dominated, Failing Elgin School District U-46 Could Gain $10 Million a Year from SB 2283 , Will Mike Madigan Call It?

by Cal Skinner

Elgin has the second largest Illinois school district. In the 1970's I used to represent it.

Today it has the distinction of having all five of its high schools in failure mode.

And because of an overlapping tax district problem that allowed a clerical mistake, it will lose about $10 million in State Aid to Education next year.

Will Democratic Party State Reps. Keith Farnham and Fred Crespo and Senator Mike Noland let this opportunity slip through their fingers or seize the day, so to speak?

The bill that would do the trip is Senate Bill 2283 and former Huntley School Board member Larry Snow has made a persuasive case for how Democrats should help U-46 get the millions in state aid it would otherwise be receiving, if the technical fix in SB 2283 is passed.

Of course the bill would help Huntley School District 158, too, to the tune of $2 million a year.

State Senator Pam Althoff is the sponsor of the bill, which has yet to receive a “No” vote.

The article under which Snow commented announced that House sponsor Republican State Rep. Mike Tryon had agreed not to seek past State Aid to Education that has been lost.

Snow posted comments to the Daily Herald story that mentioned SB 2283.

Elgin-area Republicans may have a large potential campaign issue if the House Democratic Party leadership lets this bill die on the floor without its being called to a vote.

Snow is hoping the political powers wake up soon enough to realize the information that an Illinois State Board of Education staffer gave the House leadership failed to mention the huge injustice to the 25,000 minority students in U-46, 15,000 of whom are Hispanic.

When I contacted Snow he said,

"It's ridiculous this bureaucrat from the State Board of Education may make Democrat leaders and politicians look like real jackasses by killing this bill and not allowing a vote on the House floor.

“I have met her, listened to her and anyone who listened to her committee testimony recently should be able to tell she is off the deep end wanting to preserve this injustice and not disclosing the ongoing impact to the State's second largest school district."

Snow's comments in the Daily Herald are below:

posted by Larry Snow on Sat May 23, 2009 10:37 AM

Here is the amendment to SB2283 Amend Senate Bill 2283 on page 3, line 3,

“after '5%', by inserting 'and only those adjustments made after Tax Year 2008-2009 and payable in School Year 2009-2010 are eligible for a claim for reimbursement under this paragraph.'”

It is a fix for year after year, not a one-year fix. The immediate impact on U-46 is about 10 million dollars with no approval.

Superintendent Torres has been informed this has a huge impact for his school district.

Let's see what he does about it, if anything, to prevent more cuts and help the students. Over the past years U-46 lost about 50 million in State aid.

Congrats to Sen. Michael Noland for becoming a chief co-sponsor.

Now let's see him fight to get what's right done within his own party.

What good are you if you can't get a technical correction fix that is huge for your district?

Which Chicago democrat would let this abuse continue for the Chicago Public schools? Go get 'em.

The local teachers union and school board have been snoozing on this for years.

Residents need your leadership, Sen. Noland. What House Democrats are going to help you get it passed?

posted by Larry Snow on Sat May 23, 2009 11:54 AM

U-46's teachers' union leaders and board members need to get out of snooze mode and beat the drums to get SB2283 passed. They should be in uproar over about 50 million being lost in the past because of a technical error.

If Speaker Madigan will let it be voted on in the House, after easily passing in the Senate, then U-46 will get the state aid funding it is being deprived of because of technical errors that need fixing.

Where is the Hispanic caucus in the House? Why aren't they out in front to help their own on this bill? The fiscal office in U-46 should have been all over this, years ago. I am hoping Superintendent Torres has the guts and brains to go out and get this bill passed. It is H U G E for U-46.

Jesse Ruiz, chair of the State Board of Education should do something about one of ISBE's employees, Toni Wagner making it her personal "job" and mission to prevent SB2283 and U-46 from recovering and receiving the millions of State Aid it rightfully deserves.

Wagner has opposed SB2283. which would help over 15,000 Hispanic students in U-46 by making a technical fix in the law. Anyone think if Wagner was Gonzalez there would be cooperation, not opposition?

posted by Larry Snow on Sat May 23, 2009 1:06 PM

Speaker Madigan was a true leader in getting referendum reform legislation passed in the past. He saw the injustice to taxpayers and got it fixed. I have praised him and the Democrats in the past for doing this and it is praise well deserved.

I disagree with any Republican sentiments to not press hard for SB2283 and let it fail because they can then potentially use its failure as a future political campaign issue.

It is a huge injustice U-46 has five out of five failing high schools for five years in a row (last time I looked) and they are being underfunded by millions in state aid because of a technical glitch in the School Code.

Speaker Madigan and Jesse Ruiz aren't involved at this level of detail.

Good House Democrats voted it out of committee in spite of an underling ISBE employee ranting against doing so to the House committee. I didn't need to be physically present in Springfield for that committee hearing. The committee hearing was transmitted on the internet. (continued in next comment)

posted by Larry Snow on Sat May 23, 2009 1:50 PM

If Republican legislators are afraid of publicly calling out an ISBE employee for preventing an injustice from being corrected, I am not. The injustice needs to be corrected and there's not a lot of time left for more patty-cake politics that let's an ISBE bureaucrat perpetuate a real injustice to the second largest school district in the State.

If this gets this injustice the publicity it deserves so it gets corrected, great. It doesn't matter how much Wagner may be right about anything else in the past. Her opposition speaking for ISBE to SB2283 is as wrong as underfunding five out of five failing high schools in Illinois' second largest school district.

I am hopeful if Speaker Madigan and his office get the correct information and facts and don't rely on the biased opinion of an underling ISBE employee, the injustice to over 15,000 Hispanic students will get corrected. Properly funding education is a Democrat mantra. I am hopeful Speaker Madigan will stop the abuse and injustice once he knows that's what is going on.

posted by Larry Snow on Sat May 23, 2009 3:43 PM

Superintendent Torres may want to direct someone in U-46's fiscal office to take the fifteen minutes it takes to make the calculation showing the loss of state aid SB2283 will fix and get the facts straightened out with someone in Speaker Madigan's office. Hopefully Mr. Ruiz, chair of the Illinois State Board of Education will also make sure the correct facts get to Speaker Madigan's office.

The Democrats, with Speaker Madigan's leadership, need to right this technical flaw wrong that is disadvantaging so many Hispanic children in U-46.

25,000 minority (including 15,000 Hispanic) children shouldn't be receiving erroneous second rate funding because they are in second largest school district in Illinois.

Democrat leaders wouldn't tolerate this for the largest school district in Illinois and shouldn't tolerate this for the second largest as well.

Especially when it is on the floor of the House to pass the legislature.

Governor Quinn needs to be heard on whether he supports this technical fix in SB2283 that will help 25,000 minority children get a better education.

Even if Governor Quinn stays silent on helping these children, Speaker Madigan should make sure SB2283 is passed.

= = = = =
In the photo on top newly elected State Rep. Keith Farnham (D-Elgin) was talking to Carpentersville School District 300 Chief Technology Officer Eric Willard. The head shot at the bottom is of Larry Snow.

Posted first on McHenry County Blog.

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Party Sign Differences

In Woodstock there are two well-placed signs with movable letters.

One is on Route 14 and has Republican State Senator Pam Althoff's and State Rep. Mike Tryon's names on it.

The other is on Route 47 on the west south side of the railroad overpass. It is outside of Democratic Party State Rep. Jack Franks' office.

Friday on the way up Route 14 to Camp Lakota for a First Methodist Church of Crystal Lake Cub Scout Pack 158 winter campout, I saw the Republican message:

SUPPORT
SPECIAL
ELECTION

Not exactly topical since Rolland Burris has already taken office as Illinois' junior U.S. Senator.

Driving past the Franks sign I read,

JACK TO TESTIFY
IN SPRINGFIELD
ON IMPEACMENT

Franks' sign talks of something that will be on the news this week.

I'd say that Franks won the contest on which sign has the most relevant message this past weekend.

Of course, the Franks sign is easier to modify.

But click on the Franks' photo and see how frayed the state flag is.

Posted first on McHenry County Blog.

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Aim High

There was so much good stuff at the two meetings I attended Wednesday night. The McHenry County Democrats slated candidates for state's attorney, auditor and two for county board in my district.

At my second meeting, the Legislative Budget Hearing at McHenry County College, Al Wilson, long-time steward of the Lake in the Hills fen testified before State Senator Pam Althoff and State Representative Jack Franks and Mike Tryon.

Wilson related going down to Springfield to hold a press conference with Althoff in an attempt to restore money that Governor Rod Blagojevich had cut out of the Department of Natural Resources budget.

Wilson spoke of the man in DNR he called for advice.

“Because of the cuts, that one guy is now responsible for all the nature preserves from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River,” Wilson told the legislators.

He reported that such staff are now using leased equipment and that Blagojevich now wants an additional 14% departmental budget cut.

“When you see the governor, kick him in the knees... and aim high,”

were Wilson's parting comments.

There was widespread support evident in the crowd, which numbered about 100 when I arrived about an hour late, as there was for Franks' constitution amendment to allow recall of state officials when it was brought up.

Posted first as a "Message of the Day" on McHenry County Blog.

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The Veto Override Tour – McHenry County

The following was written by Cary’s Chris Jenner after he attended meeting of what I would call the “Veto Override” tour. This was held in Crystal Lake last Thursday and sponsored by State Senator Pam Althoff and State Rep. Jack Franks.

Report on Sept. 19, 2007,
“Regional Budget Hearing”
at McHenry County College

Wednesday September 19th, I attended one of the first of Speaker Madigan’s “Hearings on the Budget Cuts” in the Chicago area. There was one the night before in Hoffman Estates, and one scheduled for the same night in Aurora. The five previous “hearings” were all south of I-80. The hearings continue through September 27th, with most of the remaining ones in and around Chicago.

My read is that Madigan is using these “hearings” to build an arsenal of nuclear proportions to force Blago off his no-income-tax-hike pledge. There were over 200 people there. At least 50 spoke. As far as I could tell, there was only one person in the entire conference center that was thinking about Joe Taxpayer.

Here is the agenda provided, and actual times the agenda items ran. More details and commentary after the agenda. The audience seemed to be about 50% heart tuggers (Pioneer Center brought at least 20 people with what seemed to me to be significant disabilities, and there were a number of other disabled people and their aides), and another 48% officials and leaders of either public organizations (municipal government, police, fire) or private organizations supported by state tax dollars. Comcast taped the whole thing, and supposedly will broadcast it at some point. The remaining 2% were a couple reporters, photographers, and me.

6:00pm – Welcome from Rep. Franks and Sen. Althoff.

They got rolling at 6:10. Franks spoke for 9 minutes, Althoff for 2.

6:10pm – Overview of Budget Cuts Made by Gov. Blago

6:21pm – 6:43pm. This was a presentation made by one of Franks’ or Althoff’s staffers. I couldn’t find the presentation online anywhere, but I procured a hard copy. If anyone would like a copy, let me know.

6:40pm – Statewide Organizations Affected by Gov’s Budget Cuts

From 6:43 – 7:00, Althoff and Franks let people who had to leave early speak, from both local and statewide organizations. Representatives from statewide organizations spoke from 7:00 – 7:12. Eight organizations were listed to speak, including the Illinois Network of Charter Schools and AFSCME, both of which had no representatives present.

7:00pm – Local Organizations Affected by Gov’s Budget Cuts

7:12pm – 9:04pm. 38 organizations were listed to speak. A smaller number were represented, but a number of organizations had more than one speaker.

9:00pm – Public Comment

9:04 – 9:26. Around 8 – 10 more people spoke, all telling what wouldn’t happen if Blago’s veto that cut the budget isn’t overridden. No one spoke on behalf of taxpayers.

9:15pm – Conclusion. They came close, ending at 9:26pm.

Exemplifying the objectiveness and nonpartisanship of this issue, the other major handout was an Issue Brief from the Center for Tax (and Budget Accountability – not!). “Analysis of Gov Blago’s Vetoes and What They Mean Across Illinois”. It’s currently the centerpiece of Ralph’s web site, go to http://www.ctbaonline.org/ and look under SPECIAL REPORT.

In Franks’ opening comments, he said these hearings had four purposes:

• Provide info on Blago’s budget cuts


• Permit those affected by the cuts to explain how the cuts will impair their ability to provide services


• Provide the public an opportunity to give their opinions


• Convince the Senate to join the House in overriding Blago’s vetoes

In the short time Franks, Althoff, and the staffer spoke, it was clear the whole GA really hates Blago and wants to make sure their constituents hate him too.

I’ve been observing Althoff for four or so years now, and I’ve never seen her so angry!

Franks said that the House “approved a budget with a lot of good and necessary things really important to people.” My initial reaction to that statement was why not let the people keep their money and spend it on what they think is really important? As a compromise, instead of forcing people to give 100% of their state tax burden to Springpile, let them give 50% of their tax burden to the charity of their choice.

After almost 3 hours of speakers, there were some organizations that (in this day and age) I actually wouldn’t have a problem receiving my tax dollars.

Other organizations that spoke, I’m not so sure.

Should the Town Square Players, the Illinois Youth Dance Theatre, the McHenry County Music Center, the Illinois Council of Orchestras, and the IL Chapter of the American Choral Directors be supported by money forced out of taxpayers?

To tug hearts, the rep from the American Choral Directors (one of the last speakers) sang Kum-Bah-Yah, cut by 37%. I’m not making that up, he stopped 63% of the way through the song. 37% was the amount Blago cut from the Illinois Arts Council, which funds many arts groups with grants -- coincidentally chaired by Speaker Madigan’s wife.

Most groups were asking for a relatively small amount of dollars. The question people need to ask and press for answers to is why $58 billion isn’t enough to help the groups that really need it. No one suggested phasing out the grossly underfunded state pension systems to provide funding for these groups.

A couple interesting comments. The lady from Little Angels in Elgin talked about the various components of their increasing costs. Far and away, Little Angels’ largest cost increase (by more than 2x over the next largest cost increase) was real estate taxes.

One lady said some McHenry County seniors were proud to receive money from a recent tax hike. Who would be proud to be on the government dole?

The three biggest components of Blago’s $470 million budget vetoes are $130M in health care, $103M in human services, and $102M in education. Other than cutting in the wrong places, and not cutting enough, the third problem with Blago’s cuts is he wants the money to be spent on more government programs. God forbid we should consider giving it back to the taxpayers, or at least not further plundering them.

A lot of people want more state money, and they really don’t care where it comes from. They’re being fed that the only way for them to get more money is for another program to lose money and/or a tax hike – and we can’t cut any programs. Illinois provides more programs and state employee benefits than it can afford, and is breaking the backs of its (non-government employee) citizens, their children and their grandchildren.

Bet you didn't guess this was posted on McHenry County Blog first.

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Posturing for Judgeships?

Two Illinois legislators have recently taken surprising political stands.

State Senator Kirk Dillard (R-DuPage County) cut a campaign ad segment for Barack Obama. It made big news in the Chicago metropolitan market and got big criticism from Republicans.

State Representative Jack Franks (D-Bull Valley) has endorsed Hillary Clinton for President.

So, why would Dillard go out onto a limb for Obama and Franks onto a similar branch for Hillary?

Dillard lost in the Illinois Senate Leadership fight to Frank Watson. Dillard also just voluntarily gave up the traditional power base of Chairman of the DuPage County Republican Central Committee.

Maybe he would like to be a federal judge in Chicago. Couldn't hurt to have a president or a vice president or even a U.S. Senator as an advocate.

Franks is similarly boxed in politically.

He could run for Congress against Republican Congressman Don Manzullo in the 16th congressional district.

But that would by no means be a slam-dunk.

And one of his 2006 contributors, Robert Abboud, is acting as if he is going to run against Manzullo.

Does Franks run against State Senator Pam Althoff next year?

Only if he is very, very brave.

He’d have to knock on twice as many doors and, surely, he has gotten tired of knocking on doors by now. It’s been eight years of going door-to-door.

As I have stated repeatedly, I have seen that women have a five- percentage point advantage over men in this area.

Why would he run for the state senate if Althoff were not vacating her seat to challenge Congresswoman Melissa Bean?

So, could Franks, who barely beat Dr. Tom Salvi—a man, I point out—afford to spot Althoff five-percentage points?

I don’t think so.

And, why take the risk by leaving what is by now a “safe” seat?

Or has Franks’ support of Hillary blown the conservative “cover” has spent low these many years creating?

Maybe it would make him vulnerable in his legislative seat, especially if a woman ran against him.

Franks got lots of publicity posturing for a Democratic Party primary challenge against Governor Rod Blagojevich.

Indeed, Franks is the anti-Blagojevich in the Illinois General Assembly.

So, why would Franks want to be a state senator under the leadership of Rod Blagojevich lover Emil Jones?

He gets paid the same as a state representative. And he seems to have reached a détente with McHenry County Republicans on giving Mike Tryon a free ride to Springfield, that is, no Democratic Party opponent, in return for his having no opposition.

And, Franks get to work with the father of Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who must love it every time Franks takes on the man the Speaker wants to beat in a gubernatorial primary election in 2010.

What else it left?

Franks could run for Attorney General, if Lisa Madigan ran for governor. I thought that most likely until Franks' endorsement of Hillary.

But that is a statewide race and his stances on hot button Democratic Party issues like homosexual rights and abortion have not been liberal enough to gain the support of the Personal PAC’s and gay rights supporters in Illinois.

So, what’s left that would be a step up?

How about a federal judgeship?

If Hillary gets elected president, Franks would have been one of the few prominent Illinois Democrats to have supported her before the primary election.

Trust me. Politicians remember who supported them when it counted most.

Sure, Franks would have to have the support of U.S. Senator Dick Durbin.

But, Durbin is a practical kind of guy.

I don’t see that as an obstacle.

So, if Hillary wins, I figure Franks has his choice of sitting on the federal bench in Rockford or in Chicago.

It’s a toss-up, in my mind, as to which he would pick.

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The picture of Kirk Dillard and Frank Watson came from the Illinois Channel, which Comcast refuses to broadcast in McHenry County. Hillary Clinton's photograph comes from her campaign web site. The photos of Don Manzullo and Robert Abboud, Pam Althoff, Jack Franks, Mike Tryon and Dick Durbin were take by your intrepid photographer, most with need for a flash. All can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Posted originally on McHenry County Blog.

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Pam Althoff on ERA

Pam Althoff 's ERA Answer

An opponent of the Equal Rights Amendment, which Democrats are still trying to pass even though the deadline has long since passed, wrote McHenry County Republican State Senator Pam Althoff.

Here’s Althoff’s answer:

Thank you for contacting my office regarding the Equal Rights Amendment or ERA as it is commonly referenced. I always appreciate hearing comments and concerns from my constituents.

ERA proposals have been circulating in the state of Illinois since, well, since I was in college back in 1972. Since that time misinformation, misconceptions and untruths have become the accepted “norm”. According to some of the finest legal minds in the nation ERA alone would not legalize same sex marriage, require women to register for the Selective Service or cause many of the other untruths that have come to be associated with it. Additionally, the ERA will not cause a wife or widow to lose their social security benefits. Existing federal law prohibits this possibility.

While I understand your concerns I respectfully request you continue to research the ERA proposal and its implications.

If you have any other questions, or need further guidance as to where to turn to obtain more information, please do not hesitate to call my office at 815/455-6330 or email at palthoff@mc.net.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me about this important issue.

Warm regards,

Senator Pamela J. Althoff

Back in the 1970’s I read the equal rights language in the Illinois State Constitution and compared it with the words in the federal Equal Rights Amendment. I could not see a substantive difference.

I sent a survey to every registered household in my five-county legislative district about ERA. A majority supported it, leading to my “Yes” vote.

Subsequently, I figured out that there was an implementation clause. It says that Federal judges will interpret the constitutional amendment.

With my distrust of the federal government, including the judicial system, I have no idea how I could have missed this “little” thing.

I would respectfully suggest that neither Senator Althoff nor I really have any idea what rulings federal judges will rule should the Equal Rights Amendment be ratified and become part of the United States Constitution.

We surely know some state judges have handed down some really flaky rulings, e.g., forcing homosexual and lesbian “marriage” in Massachusetts.

More at McHenry County Blog, even on Memorial Day Weekend.

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WBBM Goes with Goose Liver

Go Figure.

I’m driving home from my Wednesday Crystal Lake Kiwanis meeting at Colonial Café (having mercifully missed my second speech by the governor that way) and the first story I hear features the bill McHenry County’s State Senator Pam Althoff has introduced with Chicago's Rep. Robert Molaro to ban foie gras in Illinois.

What trivial news to cover, especially on the day that our Democratic Party's governor is proposing increasing our tax burden by almost 11%. (If you want to read the details of Althoff's bill, here is the Farm Santuary press release on the bill.)

Later I heard a story about the huge tax increase, but, as with House Bill 750—the fake tax sway proposal—the WBBM reporter did not put Governor Rod Blagojevich’s tax hike proposal into context.

Increasing the tax burden in Illinois by $6 billion will result in almost an 11% hike in annual state revenues.

Some of this will be exported to taxpayers in other states and countries, but most will be paid by us Illinois taxpayers.

Posted first at McHenry County Blog.

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