Post by macrockett on Feb 17, 2010 12:48:07 GMT -6
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/opinions/2051790,6_4_NA17_LETTERS_S1-100217.article#
Letters to the Editor
Comments
February 17, 2010
Addressing education funding crisis
We understand Illinois' dire budget situation is making times very tough for local school districts.
We are not happy about how the state's mismanagement by the governor has created uncertainty for hundreds of teachers and threatened to cut services for thousands of students.
So while we want to reassure you that the money allocated for this year is absolutely guaranteed to school districts since education was fully funded, we do find the manner in which these payments have been executed to be unacceptable, and it needs to be fixed immediately.
It is for this reason we will be requesting a meeting with the governor this week to discuss the delayed release of these payments along with strategies for expediting the delayed payments for schools.
While school districts are receiving scheduled General State Aid payments, as well as federal funds and stimulus money, funding for mandated categorical services for special education and transportation programs has been significantly behind.
On Jan. 15, school districts just received first-quarter special education and transportation reimbursements and early childhood education payments for September and October; and while these delayed payments are obligated and will get paid, the fact remains that schools districts are left with temporary budget gaps.
Due to this situation, we have taken measures during this General Assembly session to give schools the flexibility to navigate through. We passed legislation preventing the State Board of Education from placing school districts on the Financial Watch List when delayed state payments are the cause of an unbalanced budget (HB 944/P.A. 96-668), and we provided school districts, regional superintendents and other educational entities the ability to establish a line of credit with a bank or other financial institution (HB 999/P.A. 96-19).
We also have a new proposal on the table which would give school districts, by board action, the option of complying with unfunded or underfunded state mandates (HB 4711), allowing school boards more budgetary flexibility.
Moving forward, what we can say for sure is that there are undeniable challenges in the coming year. Between carryover debt from prior years, including unpaid bills and borrowed debt payments coming due, the state is looking to be billions in debt before the year begins.
It is for these reasons that it is so critical for us to begin reprioritizing state spending as soon as possible, and begin discussing the state budget as soon as possible.
So we ask, please continue to contact our offices as we progress through this year's budgetary process, so we can continue to remind our state's leaders that people are paying attention to what is happening, and that the day is coming when ongoing debt obligations need to be met head-on rather than deferring them for a later date.
Darlene Senger
State representative, 96th District
Randall Hultgren
State senator, 48th District
Letters to the Editor
Comments
February 17, 2010
Addressing education funding crisis
We understand Illinois' dire budget situation is making times very tough for local school districts.
We are not happy about how the state's mismanagement by the governor has created uncertainty for hundreds of teachers and threatened to cut services for thousands of students.
So while we want to reassure you that the money allocated for this year is absolutely guaranteed to school districts since education was fully funded, we do find the manner in which these payments have been executed to be unacceptable, and it needs to be fixed immediately.
It is for this reason we will be requesting a meeting with the governor this week to discuss the delayed release of these payments along with strategies for expediting the delayed payments for schools.
While school districts are receiving scheduled General State Aid payments, as well as federal funds and stimulus money, funding for mandated categorical services for special education and transportation programs has been significantly behind.
On Jan. 15, school districts just received first-quarter special education and transportation reimbursements and early childhood education payments for September and October; and while these delayed payments are obligated and will get paid, the fact remains that schools districts are left with temporary budget gaps.
Due to this situation, we have taken measures during this General Assembly session to give schools the flexibility to navigate through. We passed legislation preventing the State Board of Education from placing school districts on the Financial Watch List when delayed state payments are the cause of an unbalanced budget (HB 944/P.A. 96-668), and we provided school districts, regional superintendents and other educational entities the ability to establish a line of credit with a bank or other financial institution (HB 999/P.A. 96-19).
We also have a new proposal on the table which would give school districts, by board action, the option of complying with unfunded or underfunded state mandates (HB 4711), allowing school boards more budgetary flexibility.
Moving forward, what we can say for sure is that there are undeniable challenges in the coming year. Between carryover debt from prior years, including unpaid bills and borrowed debt payments coming due, the state is looking to be billions in debt before the year begins.
It is for these reasons that it is so critical for us to begin reprioritizing state spending as soon as possible, and begin discussing the state budget as soon as possible.
So we ask, please continue to contact our offices as we progress through this year's budgetary process, so we can continue to remind our state's leaders that people are paying attention to what is happening, and that the day is coming when ongoing debt obligations need to be met head-on rather than deferring them for a later date.
Darlene Senger
State representative, 96th District
Randall Hultgren
State senator, 48th District
