McHenry Times

Allen Skillicorn, the Republican candidate in Illinois House District 66, recently reached out to Illinois constituents via a post on Facebook deploring state legislators’ "bailout" package for Chicago’s public school system.

“Springfield politicians are pushing SB 231, a bailout package for Chicago Public Schools that will cost School District 300 (based in Algonquin) $2,383,447.01 in lost education funds,” Skillicorn wrote. “Do you agree we should not be robbing our kids' schools to pay for Chicago's failures?”

SB 231, a bill proposed by state Sen. Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill), would shift funds from more affluent jurisdictions to the relatively poor districts. Gov. Bruce Rauner’s office revealed earlier in the spring that Chicago Public Schools stand to gain millions of dollars more than other districts, creating controversy among constituents and politicians alike.

 “A 47 percent tax hike courtesy of Speaker Madigan and Illinois Democrats,” Skillicorn recently wrote in response to the ongoing clamor. “Is that the budget you really want? ... The budget standoff represents two competing philosophies in Illinois. One side believes our state is in crisis and needs fundamental reforms to grow and prosper. The other side says things are working just fine, thank you - oh, and let's raise taxes again."

Fellow Republican and state Sen. Jason Barickman (Bloomington) also spoke out, stating that “The data shows what many of us have feared.” Manar’s bill has become a vehicle for a major bailout of the bankrupt Chicago school system, while wildly shifting funding around suburban communities and creating a detrimental impact on downstate schools, Barickman said.

How to move forward is the greater question in this dilemma, Barickman said, pointing out the need for bilateral cooperation.

“I think you have to have both chambers … the administration, and the educational community, which are the stakeholders to all of this,” Barickman said.