McHenry Times

Steven Reick, Republican candidate in House District 63, called HB 5529, which Gov. Bruce Rauner signed into law two weeks ago, a shell game that allows school districts to transfer money between their educational, operations and maintenance and transportation funds.

 

Reick objected to the ability to use intrafund transfers to move monies from funds with excess balances to underfunded funds. Some funds cannot increase the levy, and by moving the monies between funds, the school districts can increase the monies available to each fund.

 

"I’m disappointed that the governor didn’t veto this bill," Reick said. "These intrafund transfers are little more than a shell game which allows school districts to over-levy in one fund knowing full well that the funds would be transferred to a fund (whose) levy could not be increased. HB 5529 is Exhibit A to the argument that we need a complete overhaul in the way we pay for education, putting the responsibility on the state for education funding, as prescribed in the Illinois Constitution."

 

Reick pointed out that the School Code's Intrafund Transfer Section was originally intended to allow school districts to transfer funds to cover unexpected expenses. The language was amended in 2001 to allow transfers for any reason. The change covered the years from 2001 to 2003.

 

Incumbent state Rep. John Franks (D-District 63) voted against the 2016 extension in a recent House vote, casting one of four dissenting votes. Upon reviewing the history of the bill's three-year extensions, Reick pointed out that Franks had voted in favor of the extension in the previous five votes and had co-sponsored the 2013 bill.

 

"What’s not fair is to have a representative who votes five times for an extension of a bill that allows taxing districts to rob Peter to pay Paul, allowing them to stockpile hordes of cash, allows it to be used for unintended purposes and then sponsors a 'freeze' bill intended to both hide his past votes and to keep that system in place," Reick said. "That’s hypocrisy, pure and simple."