Metro East Sun

Rep. Avery Bourne (R-Raymond) said recently that all she is asking for is fairness in the state's public education funding bill. 

"Under Senate Bill 1, Chicago will receive 63.62 percent of the new money," Bourne posted on her website. "Meanwhile students in the 95th District will receive 0.5 percent of the new money. Once the bailout for Chicago is removed from SB1, Chicago’s students receive 19.06 percent of the new money while students in the 95th District receive .82 percent of the new money. That is fairness."

Two months after SB1 passed the General Assembly, it was sent to Gov. Bruce Rauner on July 31. Rauner almost immediately used an amendatory veto to strip the measure of additional money earmarked for Chicago Public Schools' pension.

Rep. Avery Bourne (R-Raymond)

“Our students downstate deserve a fair shake,” Bourne wrote. “We need a new school funding formula – one that treats every school district the same and one that sends money first to the students and school districts that need it most. After years of education cuts under previous administrations, I cannot blame the schools who are desperate for more money. They need it. We owe it to the students they serve. However, we as downstaters must fight for our fair share.”