The Illinois General Assembly must return to Springfield this month and pass a budget that meets the needs of all Illinoisans.
That message was delivered today at events held in Chicago, Rockford, Moline, Peoria, Quincy, Decatur, East St. Louis and Vienna, by the Responsible Budget coalition (RBC), which includes education employees, state employees and agencies that provide assistance to children, senior citizens and the mentally ill.
RBC representatives met with reporters in an effort to ensure that everyone understands what is at stake if lawmakers fail to pass a responsible budget, that is, that one that includes adequate revenue for education and state services. Lawmakers have been considering budgets that lack revenue needed to meet the needs of all Illinoisans. RBC is urging passage of HB 174, tax reform legislation that would increase the income tax and allow the state to stop digging the $13 billion revenue hole caused by failing to increase revenue to meet expenses.
IEA Vice president Bob Blade, speaking at the RBC event in Chicago, said current budget proposals, which would cut more than $1 billion from education, would result in thousands of education employee layoffs, larger class sizes and a significant reduction in education quality.
“Schools are reducing or deleting extracurricular activities, activities which are the magnet for attracting and keeping some students in school,” Blade said.
“Pk-12 school students are not the only ones being hurt by the current economic climate; recently one community college system laid off almost 20% of their staff which will increase college class sizes this fall. Institutions of higher learning are raising tuition, pricing some students out of the ability to attain a higher education, at a point in our economic history where higher education is more important to the state’s economic development than ever before,” he added.
RBC member organizations, including IEA, are urging their members to contact their state legislators and tell them to pass a budget that includes adequate revenue to fund education and state services.
Take action
IEA members can contact their legislators through the IEA Website.
AARP has made available a toll-free telephone number that allows people to call their state legislators directly, urging their approval of a responsible budget with adequate revenues. That number is 800-719-3020.
For more information, visit the coalition at www.abetterillinois.com.