“non-Chicago Dems… will essentially be voting against their own school districts if they stick with Madigan/Cullerton on the override issue”

“On every policy issue, the Madigan plan has always been more for Chicago, less for the rest of Illinois. So it’s no surprise that downstate and suburban Democrats like Carol Ammons support less money for their own school districts because they’re taking orders from Madigan. It’s time for Democrats to stop the Chicago bailout and support a school funding plan that’s fair for all Illinois schoolchildren.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

In an email exchange between State Rep. Carol Ammons and News-Gazette Opinion Editor Jim Dey, Ammons, through her silence, revealed a stunning truth on the debate over school funding and Senate Bill 1 – downstate and suburban Democrats are advancing Madigan’s Chicago interests, not their districts’.

Dey asked Ammons, “Do you support holding the legislation as long as possible to pressure the governor to sign the bill? If so, can you elaborate? If he issues an amendatory veto, do you plan to vote to override the bill even if C-U schools would get more money if Rauner’s veto is sustained? If so, can you elaborate?”

Dey then received a non-answer from Ammons’ chief of staff describing her support for SB1 and hope that Governor Rauner signs the bill in it’s current form with a Chicago bailout.

Dey followed up with Ammons’ to get an answer to his original questions, but Ammons’ office did not respond.

Why would Carol Ammons be silent on a plan to increase funding for schools in her legislative district?

The answer is simple, but tragic – to the detriment of schoolchildren in her district and all over Illinois, Democrats like Ammons are taking their orders from Mike Madigan.

More for Chicago, less for the rest of Illinois.

The story is the same for all other downstate and suburban Democrats who supported Senate Bill 1.

It’s time for Democrats to join Governor Rauner and Republican lawmakers and support a school funding plan that’s good for all Illinois school districts, not just Chicago.

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