Metro East Sun

House Rep. Avery Bourne (R-Raymond) said in a press conference last week that withholding funding for programs in the budget pending voter action on Gov. J.B. Pritzker's graduated income tax proposal is irresponsible and unnecessary.

"Yesterday, we heard from Gov. Pritzker and his call for $1.4 billion withheld as conditional spending pending voter action on this graduated income tax proposal," Bourne said. 

Bourne said that she does not agree with the Governor's proposal to tie school funding to a tax increase to be decided by voters in November.

"We not only think that is irresponsible, but it is also unnecessary," Bourne said. "His proposal lays out $150 million from the evidence-based formula and also $40 million for mandated categorical payments on special education and transportation. This means less going to close the equity gap for schools and, particularly with mandated categoricals, that means schools will actually receive a cut on their reimbursements which will disproportionately affect rural and small schools."

Bourne said Pritzker's proposal presents a false choice.

"This bullying tactic in holding funding to schools and students hostage to get his way is not only irresponsible, but it also presents a false choice," Bourne said.

Bourne said what Pritzker proposes does not guarantee fully funding schools and will force the budgeting process to make difficult decisions without the certainty of knowing what’s going to happen to them.

"School districts are required to present their budgets before any ballot measure has been decided on," Bourne said. "They will not have any certainty that the governor has proposed before they have to make their decisions. They will be making decisions on hiring and resources before we know the outcome of the governor’s proposal."

Bourne said the proposal will help schools that are better funded and harm schools that are less funded.

"Ultimately, what’s disappointing to us is this threatens to withhold money from schools and that’s unnecessary," Bourne said. "This is purely a way to push Pritzker's political agenda."

Bourne said the responsible thing to do would have been to introduce a budget that includes school and taxpayer certainty.

"This budget does neither," Bourne said. "With the record revenue coming into this state, it is possible to sit down and craft a bipartisan budget that meets the minimum funding level without new taxes and without reliance on the graduated tax proposal."

Bourne said the proposal speaks volumes about Pritzker's priorities.

"He would rather hold back money to our schools to further his political agenda than to prioritize a stable budget that fully funds our schools and live within our means," Bourne said.

Bourne said the way the budget is laid out, it also forces upward pressure on property taxes, which Pritzker has said he wants to alleviate.

"But, creating uncertainty does the opposite," Bourne said. "It’s irresponsible to promise the supplemental instead of certainty."