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ILGOP Releases Robocalls

Calls Highlight Mike Madigan, Dem Gov Candidates’ Support for Chicago Bailout 

Today, the Illinois Republican Party released robocalls statewide highlighting Mike Madigan’s hostage-taking.

Mike Madigan and his political allies are trying to hold schoolchildren hostage in order to force through a $500 million Chicago bailout without reform.

This comes after Madigan held state government hostage for years in order to force through his 32% permanent income tax hike.

Now, the Chicago Machine is refusing to release education funding for all Illinois schools unless they get their taxpayer funded bailout.

And while Madigan and his allies work the legislative side, Madigan’s candidates for Governor – J.B. Pritzker, Chris Kennedy and Daniel Biss – support the bailout too.

The Illinois Republican Party is committed to exposing Madigan’s hostage-taking scheme.

Listen to the call here.

Script:
That’s a school bell ringing, but your kids may not hear it this fall if Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan gets his way.

Mike Madigan and his enablers in the state house are threatening to shut down schools unless they get a special $500 million bailout for Chicago public schools.

First, Madigan held the budget hostage to force through a 32% permanent income tax hike with no reforms.

Now, Madigan is holding our school children hostage to get a $500 million bailout for Chicago. 

And Madigan’s candidates for Governor – J.B. Pritzker, Chris Kennedy and Daniel Biss – support the bailout too. 

Now is the time to fight back and stop the Chicago politicians before it’s too late. 

Call your state representative and state senator. Tell them your higher taxes shouldn’t pay for a Chicago bailout. 

Paid for by the Illinois Republican Party.

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ICYMI: Diana Rauner appears in new ad praising governor’s support for education

Rauner has “presided over a period of increased funding for K-12 education in Illinois”

From the Chicago Tribune:
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s re-election campaign has launched a new online ad featuring early childhood advocate Diana Rauner touting her husband’s efforts to improve state support of education.

The ad comes as the governor has summoned lawmakers back to Springfield for a special session to begin Wednesday after lawmakers held onto a bill they approved at the end of May to rewrite Illinois’ school funding formula. Hanging in the balance is whether the first state aid checks for the upcoming school year will go out as scheduled by Aug. 10.

… The governor’s new ad, titled “Diana on education,” shows Illinois’ first lady countering that assertion with an endorsement of her husband’s “passion for education.”

“We know how lucky we are to have the opportunities to help other people. And we treat it like a mission,” the first lady says as images of school buildings flash across the screen. “Bruce has increased education funding by $700 million. He increased early childhood education to its highest level ever. It’s about doing what’s right, not what’s easy. We’re doing this for our next generation.”

The governor has indeed presided over a period of increased funding for K-12 education in Illinois, but the boost in money also can be credited to lawmakers.

In 2015, Democrats passed an education funding bill as part of a broader spending plan for state government. Rauner vetoed all of the spending plan but the school appropriations, which provided a boost of about $275 million extra for schools and early childhood education programs.

Last year, Rauner and lawmakers cut a last-minute deal that granted funding to elementary and high schools and again increased the amount schools received compared with the previous year.

All told the past two years, schools have been granted an extra $751 million in general state aid and an additional $92 million for special programs. Early childhood education spending has been boosted by $121 million.

…The first lady, who has said she is a Democrat, heads the Ounce of Prevention Fund, a not-for-profit organization focused on early childhood education. Through her Ounce work, she developed an image as an advocate for kids long before her husband entered the political scene.

The last time that Diana Rauner lent her voice to her husband’s campaign was in fall 2014, after a government employee union-funded political action committee allied with then-Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn aired a TV ad that aimed at convincing voters Rauner was anti-woman.

Diana Rauner appeared in an ad telling voters that machine politicians were using “false, vicious attacks” to try to stay in power.

“Bruce doesn’t owe anybody anything, and that scares special interests,” she said. “But he’s smart, honest, successful — everything our state government isn’t.”

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ICYMI: Editorial Boards Side with Rauner on SB1

Rauner Efforts to Stop “11th Hour” Chicago Bailout are “Reasonable” 

While Mike Madigan and his allies pervert the legislative process, intentionally preventing SB1 from reaching Governor Rauner’s desk, editorial boards across the state are siding with Rauner and calling out Madigan’s Chicago machine.

The Chicago Tribune editorial board called Rauner’s plan to remove the Chicago pension bailout a “reasonable” change, and blasted John Cullerton for resorting to “pure brinksmanship.”

They write, “The bill has languished in the Senate since May 31. It passed both chambers even after House Democrats inserted last-minute perks for Chicago Public Schools. But Senate President John Cullerton has been holding on to it rather than sending it to Rauner’s desk for the veto the governor has promised. At first, Cullerton said he wanted time for emotions to calm down. But then his tactic became pure brinkmanship.

President Cullerton, release the bill. We won’t be surprised if Rauner then removes from it money Chicago Public Schools would receive for its annual pension costs. He also could veto money folded into the formula that is specific to Chicago, intended to make up for CPS’ loss of some grant funding.

Fine. Those changes are not unreasonable. We have said Chicago should get help with its pension burden if and when lawmakers pass a statewide pension reform bill. That was the deal lawmakers reached a year ago. So far, Democrats who control both chambers have put no pension reform bill on Rauner’s desk.”

The Telegraph editorial board skewered Democrats for an “11th hour” provision inserted into SB1 – the Chicago bailout.

“So of the $778 million set aside for kindergarten through high school public education in the state, Chicago schools — which account for about 19 percent of the state’s students — would get 64 percent of the money.

So much for fairness.”

They continue, “Rauner made the right call. Pension debt is a serious matter and must be dealt with, but it is damaging to all school systems to allow provisions that favor a single district stay in this plan. It should not be included in Senate Bill 1.”

It’s time for Mike Madigan and John Cullerton to do the right thing, release SB1, and drop their demands for a Chicago bailout.

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Cullerton ADMITS Chicago Machine Holding School Funding Hostage

“We slowed down the process”

Senate President John Cullerton admitted yesterday for the first time that Democratic politicians in Springfield are intentionally holding SB1 from reaching Governor Rauner’s desk.

Cullerton told the Chicago Tribune that “We slowed down the process in the Senate in order to let everyone blow off some steam, politically speaking.”

This is a direct admission that the Chicago Machine is holding school funding hostage.

John Cullerton has no right to pervert the legislative process in this way. It’s an affront to democracy.

John Cullerton and Mike Madigan should stop helping try to get their friends in Chicago a $500 million bailout and allow SB1 to reach Governor Rauner’s desk for an amendatory veto.

Anything less is a slap in the face to the voters of Illinois and their confidence in our democratic system.

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ILGOP Supports Rauner Decision to Call Special Session

Mike Madigan’s Attempt to Hold Schoolchildren Hostage Needs to Stop

“It is beyond inexcusable that Mike Madigan and his allies refuse to release education funding for all Illinois schools unless they get their $500 million Chicago bailout. It’s just another attempt by Madigan to hold our state hostage for his disastrous Chicago agenda.”

“Governor Rauner’s decision to call lawmakers back to Springfield is necessary to protect students across Illinois from Mike Madigan’s hostage-taking.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Steven Yaffe

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ILGOP Releases Digital Ads

Ads Highlight Mike Madigan’s Chicago Bailout, Attempt to Hold Schoolchildren Hostage

Mike Madigan’s attempt to hold schoolchildren hostage for a $500 million Chicago bailout is everything wrong with Illinois politics.

Madigan is willing to put politics ahead of the interests of Illinois children. He’s willing to take money from children across the state to bailout his friends in Chicago with no promise of reform. It’s just plain wrong.

That’s why today, the Illinois Republican Party is releasing digital ads calling out Mike Madigan for his scheme to force through a taxpayer funded Chicago bailout.

The ads:

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Pritzker Defends Madigan AGAIN

Just more evidence J.B. Pritzker is Mike Madigan’s handpicked candidate

This weekend, we got even more evidence that J.B. Pritzker is Mike Madigan’s pick.

Asked at a Democratic forum how he would handle Illinois’ corrupt Speaker, Pritzker defended Madigan.

Capitol Fax reports that Pritzker responded by saying that “we gotta stop throwing the leadership of the Democratic Party at each other.”

It’s been widely reported that J.B. Pritzker is Mike Madigan’s handpicked candidate for Governor.

Just last month, Crain’s Chicago Business reported that Madigan was “breaking legs behind the scenes to help Pritzker”.

J.B. Pritzker has now made his position clear – he is unwilling to criticize Mike Madigan for anything. 

He is unwilling to criticize Madigan for forcing through his 32% tax hike without reform. For refusing to bring term limits up for a vote. For using his personal attorney to kill the fair maps ballot initiative. For his decades of patronage hiring. For rigging the property tax system against hardworking taxpayers.

Nope, Pritzker is fine with all of it.

It’s easy to see why Madigan likes Pritzker so much.

Watch Pritzker defend Madigan here.

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Editorial Boards Call on Democrats to Release SB1

Madigan Democrats Should Stop Holding Schoolchildren Hostage

Mike Madigan and his allies in Springfield are holding schoolchildren hostage for a $500 billion Chicago bailout. They’re refusing to release SB1, the education funding bill, to Governor Rauner’s desk for an amendatory veto to release school funding and remove the bailout.

They are trying to use our children’s education as a leverage for Madigan’s Chicago bailout.

It’s wrong, and editorial boards across Illinois are calling them out for it.

The Belleville News-Democrat editorial board is calling it “legislative extortion”.

“Send the bill to the governor now. Let him use his amendatory veto, and put it to a vote now.”

The Southern Illinoisan editorial board wrote this weekend that, “Some things need to be above politics. Educating our children should be at the top of the list.”

“Take out the Chicago pension funding provision and get the bill to the governor’s desk.”

Mike Madigan – it’s time to release education funding and drop your Chicago bailout.

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Rauner Slams Madigan’s Chicago Bailout in Downstate Tour

Madigan’s Democrats Holding SB1, Children Hostage

Governor Bruce Rauner slammed Mike Madigan’s Democrats in a downstate tour this week, highlighting how Madigan’s Chicago pension bailout will take state education dollars away from downstate schools.

Mike Madigan is holding schoolchildren hostage – he’s having his allies in the Senate hold SB1 from reaching the Governor’s desk in a ploy to force a $500 million taxpayer funded bailout of Chicago schools with no promise of financial reform.

But Governor Rauner is bringing Madigan’s scheme to light.

Check out these headlines from Rauner’s tour:

The Southern: Rauner: Amendatory veto of K-12 funding bill would help Southern Illinois schools
Gov. Bruce Rauner said Thursday that his plan to change the language of a key K-12 funding bill would funnel more money into downstate schools and avoid an unfair “bailout” of Chicago Public Schools.
During an interview with The Southern’s editorial board, Rauner called for the General Assembly to send him the Evidence-Based Funding for Student Success Act, also known as SB1, which passed both chambers of the legislature on May 31 and has been held from the governor’s desk ever since.

Fox St. Louis: Gov. Rauner threatens to veto Illinois school funding bill over Chicago pensions
“What’s happening is our school funding for this year, August and September, that bill to fund that is being held up Speaker Madigan,” Rauner said.
…“They’re sitting on it, holding it until August to force a crisis to force taxpayers of Illinois to fund a bailout of Chicago pensions,” he said.

KFVS: IL Gov. Rauner sits down one-on-one to discuss school funding bill
“Release the bill, don’t sit on it, don’t wait until August to create a crisis,” Gov. Rauner said. “Send it to my desk and I will amendatory veto it and take out the bad pension payment part that’s going to cost tax payers money, and schools will open on time with more money.”

KSDK: GOV. RAUNER STOPS IN METRO EAST TO PUSH FOR VETO
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner stopped in the Metro East Thursday to talk about schools possibly shutting down because they can’t get state funding. The Governor was in Edwardsville trying to garner support for his plan.
Here’s the issue: Funding has been approved by the Democratic-led Legislature to fund public schools, but the Republican Governor said it unfairly gives millions of dollars to Chicago Schools.

SJ-R: Rauner sets deadline for SB1, says he’ll call special session
“This is the cynical manipulation of this process,” Rauner said. ”(Cullerton) has told my Senate colleagues that Speaker Madigan has ordered him to sit on the bill. .. He takes his orders from Speaker Madigan.”

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Editorial Boards Slam Democrats for “Deliberately Refusing” to Release Education Funding

Madigan Democrats Trying to Force $500 Million Chicago Bailout

“Mike Madigan is trying to hold schoolchildren hostage to get a $500 million bailout for Chicago, just like he held the budget hostage for years to pass his 32% tax hike. It’s a desperate ploy to direct more taxpayer dollars to Chicago by using children as pawns. It’s sick, but that’s the Madigan way.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Steven Yaffe

Democrats in the General Assembly are holding the future of Illinois schoolchildren hostage by “deliberately refusing” to send Governor Rauner any bill to fund education and ensure that schools open.

The News-Gazette editorial board blasted Madigan’s Democrats earlier this week, writing that, “They’ve been holding the school funding formula legislation in the Senate since May 31 — more than six weeks — deliberately refusing to send Senate Bill 1 for action to Gov. Rauner.”

“Democrats need to get the bill to Rauner’s desk as soon as possible.”

The Dispatch Argus editorial board highlighted how Madigan booby trapped his 32% tax hike budget in order to force a bailout.

“Among the devilish details in the 583-page Illinois budget we outlined Wednesday lurks a potentially dangerous phrase requiring school funding to be given out via an evidence-based system…. Senate Bill 1, which creates a needs-based funding method, was approved by the Illinois General Assembly in May. But it has never been sent to Gov. Bruce Rauner. Leaders reportedly are holding it while they seek ways to avoid a veto of the bill over what the GOP leader called a pension bailout for Chicago schools.”

“Critics believe Democratic leaders’ real motivation is to tar Gov. Rauner with slamming closed the schoolhouse doors.”

It’s time for Mike Madigan and his fellow politicians to stop holding children hostage and agree to bipartisan education funding that does not take money from students across the state to bailout Chicago.

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