Emanuel: Now Is Not The Time To Reduce CPS State Aid
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Mayor Rahm Emanuel applauded academic progress at Chicago's Public Schools Tuesday, as he pushed for an override of Gov. Bruce Rauner's school funding veto.
With a vote set for Wednesday, CBS 2's Derrick Blakley reports that both are using slick ads to press their final arguments.
Specifically, Emanuel celebrated test scores that show bilingual students in Chicago -- those who are just learning English -- are making great gains in their academic studies. He says this isn't the time for the legislator to let Rauner's amendatory veto of Senate Bill 1 reduce state aid to Chicago Public Schools.
"Our kids are closing the achievement gap as it relates to reading and math," Rauner said at Canty Elementary school. "It's time that Springfield, under governor Rauner, close the funding gap and backup the kids who are setting records."
SB1, a historic rewrite of the state's school funding formula, is something Democrats fully support.
"It's fair all across the state. Every district wins, no district loses," said House Speaker Mike Madigan. "We're not walking away from that bill."
SB1 shifts money from wealthier districts to low-income schools that need it much more. Rauner vetoed the measure because, according to his ads, "Mike Madigan wants more money for his political buddies and less for our kids."
In Rauner's view, the bill gives too much money to Chicago schools and too little to the suburbs and downstate.
"There are 267 districts in the state that get more money per pupil than Chicago does under the bill," Madigan retorts.
With only 67 Democrats in the House, and 71 votes needed to override, Madigan will need key support from at least a handful of Republicans to be successful.
If that happens, schools across the state will immediately begin seeing state funding.
