Democrat’s school funding bill latest in series of “blackmail” bills

https://www.ilnews.org/news/state_politics/breen-democrat-s-school-funding-bill-latest-in-series-of/article_6a391f56-6b56-11e7-8dc7-4f031db91327.html

SPRINGFIELD, IL – (Greg Bishop, Illinois News Network.  Please click on the link above for the full story.  Here is an excerpt below.)

The next battle at the Illinois Statehouse is likely over state funding for public schools, which are in desperate need of checks next month. But that money may not be there without funding reform, and critics of the majority party say waiting until the last minute to resolve problems seems to be the Democrats’ modus operandi.

State Rep. Peter Breen, R-Lombard, said Senate Bill 1 is a Chicago Public Schools bailout and another of what he called “blackmail bills,” where lawmakers are pressured at the last minute to support things that aren’t good for taxpayers.

Breen referenced several examples. One was the threat that 911 services would be shut down unless, according to Breen, unnecessary fee increases were approved. Another was the threat of a downgrade of state bonds to junk status if lawmakers didn’t approve a budget with $5 billion in tax increases.

“No compromise. No other options,” Breen said. “[It’s just], ‘You’ve got to vote for this bill.’”

Breen said the same thing is happening with the school funding reform bill.