School Funding Threatened by Failure to Pass Cigarette Tax Increase (IL)

May 27, 2010

Suburban school districts already strapped for cash are bracing for major state funding cuts unless lawmakers raise the cigarette tax or Gov. Pat Quinn can find money elsewhere.

An estimated $327 million would be cut from programs under a budget plan sent to Quinn this week. Special-education funding would be cut by about $246 million and transportation by about $81 million.
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An estimated $327 million would be cut from programs under a budget plan sent to Quinn this week. Special-education funding would be cut by about $246 million and transportation by about $81 million.

Lawmakers are still working on finding the money to pay for state spending, however, with the Senate expected to take up several budget proposals as soon as Thursday.

Quinn and Speaker Michael Madigan argue that the education cuts could be avoided if the House signs off on a $1-a-pack cigarette tax increase that has already passed the Senate.

Madigan, a Democrat, is blaming House Republicans for not providing enough votes for the tax increase. The speaker has put suburban Republicans in a tough position: It’s their school districts that will bear the brunt of the cuts. Wealthier suburban districts don’t get much in state aid, but a large portion of the money they do get from the state comes from the so-called categorical funding that’s on the chopping block.

Sara Wojcicki, spokeswoman for House GOP leader Tom Cross, disputed Madigan’s assertion. She said Republicans haven’t discussed the cigarette tax plan because there’s been no indication it will ever get called for a vote.

School districts already are waiting for the state to make good on $1.5 billion in overdue payments. The $327 million would only make things worse, administrators and lawmakers said.

"School districts are struggling now, so to not get the money is bad," said Republican Rep. Roger Eddy, who also is a school superintendent in downstate Hutsonville. "But on the other side of it, there’s no revenue … districts have to deal with it."

In Elgin, District U-46 cut more than 1,000 teachers and staff in anticipation of a funding shortfall. Spokesman Tony Sanders said the state already owes the district $29 million and more cuts won’t help.

In West Aurora, District 129 is considering eliminating its early childhood education progr am to make ends meet.

"If that happens, it will have a long-term negative effect on the entire community," said district spokesman Mike Chapin. "We’ll literally have hundreds and hundreds of children showing up in kindergarten without the skills needed to really be successful."

On Wednesday, Quinn said raising the tax on cigarettes "is the proper thing to do" because a higher cost will discourage youth smoking while also helping schools.
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If the cigarette tax increase doesn’t pass, Quinn could use his powers to shift money from one area of state government to avoid education funding cuts. A Quinn spokesman said he’s "optimistic" the cigarette tax increase will pass and wouldn’t speculate on what Quinn would do if it doesn’t.

Quinn threatened even deeper education cuts earlier this year to try to gain approval of an income tax increase. That proposal didn’t gain traction as lawmakers are nervous about raising taxes in an election year.

In the meantime, schools across the state are preparing for a summer filled with strife.

"It’s going to have an impact," state Superintendent Christopher Koch said Wednesday. "We’re getting a lot of frantic calls. There are a lot of schools in June that are looking at layoffs."