{"id":575999,"date":"2010-05-23T12:41:08","date_gmt":"2010-05-23T16:41:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/illinoiseducationassociation.org\/?p=8057"},"modified":"2010-05-23T12:41:08","modified_gmt":"2010-05-23T16:41:08","slug":"calling-all-members-%e2%80%94-be-ready-to-contact-lawmakers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/575999","title":{"rendered":"Calling all members \u2014 Be ready to contact lawmakers!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>This is expected to be the final week of the spring session of the Illinois General Assembly.\u00a0 The Democratic majority wants to avoid an extended session because, if no balanced budget is passed by midnight on May 31, a 3\/5 vote (instead of a simple majority) is needed to pass a state budget.\u00a0 That would require members of both political parties to work together, something we haven\u2019t seen for a while.<\/p>\n

So, what\u2019s going to happen?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The state is broke.\u00a0 IEA continues to advocate for HB 174, the comprehensive tax reform proposal that would allow Illinois to get back on the road to fiscal health by reducing some of the deficit and providing the revenue needed to fund education and essential services.<\/p>\n

Will HB 174 pass?<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are no indications that a House majority is ready to support an income tax increase six months before the election.\u00a0 Unless the courage and vision needed to pass new revenue is unexpectedly discovered, it is likely that the next budget will contain significant budget cuts.<\/p>\n

What happens to education funding?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Without revenue, some sort of cut seems likely, though less than $1.3 billion that was proposed months ago and, we hope, less than the $560 million recommended again Sunday <\/a>by the Chicago Tribune editorial board in its weekly attack on public employee unions.<\/p>\n

What about pension funding?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Governor Quinn on Friday reiterated his support for borrowing to make the $3.6 billion pension payment. The State Journal-Register editorializes<\/strong><\/a> that making the pension payment should be the state’s top priority.<\/p>\n

Delaying the payment will cost the state $37 billion in lost compounding interest over the next 35 years. Borrowing the money would cost the principal amount \u2014 $3.6 billion \u2014 plus hundreds of millions in interest. While more borrowing is less than ideal, it\u2019s clear that it\u2019s more fiscally responsible than delaying or skipping the payment to a pension system that already is the nation\u2019s worst funded.<\/em><\/p>\n

But House Republicans and 11 House Democrats refused earlier this month to vote for any borrowing. House Republicans want the full pension payment made without borrowing any money. At least one House Republican vote is needed to authorize borrowing because the Democrats only have 70 votes in the chamber and 71 are necessary.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

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Republicans are cynically playing politics with this issue, attempting to add another arrow to the quiver full of issues they hope to shoot at the Democrats in an election yea<\/em>r.<\/p>\n

What can\/should IEA members do?<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s likely that, between now and May 31st<\/sup>, and perhaps more than once, IEA members will be asked to drop everything they\u2019re doing, contact their legislators, and urge those officials to either pass or oppose key legislation.<\/p>\n

It is crucial that, when the \u201cCall to Action\u201d is announced, as many as possible of IEA\u2019s 133,000 members statewide receive and answer it.\u00a0 So, here are some suggestions to help members stay connected:<\/p>\n