Tag: Rauner

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ICYMI: GOP Rallies for Reform

– Will Hold Madigan Machine Accountable in November 2018 – 

Governor Bruce Rauner and Republicans across Illinois rallied in support of the Governor’s reform agenda and made clear they will hold Mike Madigan’s machine politicians accountable for the damage they’ve inflicted upon taxpayers.

Check out some of the news coverage from the fair:

WCIA: Governor’s day takes aim at Speaker
Hundreds of supporters showed up, but the overall theme was gearing up for the 2018 election and winning seats to flip the majority. Governor Rauner kicked off the event rallying the crowd with high hopes.
… The event was filled with Madigan shirts and buttons which negatively portrayed the Speaker.
“You know why we’re going to pick up at least nine seats maybe a dozen because Democrats just as much as Republicans are angry. They know the system is broken, they know Mike Madigan has set up a machine that makes him rich.”

WGN: Governor’s Day, school funding at center stage in Springfield
It’s Governor Day at the Illinois State Fair and Governor Bruce Rauner is rallying the troops ahead of next year’s election.
“This is an exciting election. We’re going to win on to victory in 2018. Let’s restore Democracy in the State of Illinois,” said Rauner.

NPR Illinois: Rauner Outlines 2018 Campaign Themes: Madigan, Madigan, Madigan
Illinois Republicans are gearing up for Gov. Bruce Rauner’s re-election fight. At a state fair rally Wednesday, they made clear their campaign will focus on one man.
… “We cannot give into Madigan and his Chicago agenda any longer,” said Tim Schneider, chairman of the Illinois Republican Party.
“Our goal is to win the House back, and make Leader Durkin Speaker Durkin in 2018,” he said, referring to House Minority Leader Jim Durkin.

Chicago Sun-Times: Rauner releases two TV ads ahead of Illinois House school funding vote
Gov. Bruce Rauner on Governor’s Day released two television ads, paid for by his campaign, in his push to try to squash a veto override in the Illinois House.
The two 30-second spots will be aired statewide, alongside digital ads and phone calls, according to Rauner’s campaign committee Citizens for Rauner.
… “Tell Speaker Madigan we’ve had enough,” one of the ads says.

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Rauner Blitzes Editorial Boards in Push for Fair School Funding

“Bruce Rauner on SB1 veto: Make school funding fair for the whole state”

As the Madigan Machine continues to stall, refusing to call Governor Rauner’s amendatory veto of SB1 for a vote, Rauner blitzed editorial boards this week, highlighting how his amendatory veto delivers more money to schools across the state and removes Madigan’s Chicago pension bailout.

The Kankakee Daily Journal: Governor firmly rejects Chicago school bailout
“They stopped paying their pensions,” Rauner said. “Chicago’s teacher pension was basically fully funded 17 years ago. Now, it’s woefully underfunded. Now, [House Speaker Mike] Madigan and Mayor [Rahm] Emmanuel said they have a pension mess. They dumped it on the state by including it in this funding formula. That’s not fair to the taxpayers of Illinois.”
Rauner said his amendatory veto would generate an additional $1 million for Kankakee School District 111.

Northwest Herald: Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner on SB1 veto: Make school funding fair for the whole state
Gov. Bruce Rauner accused Democrats in the General Assembly of sitting on Senate Bill 1 twice, risking state funding for Illinois schools to pass the bill in its current form.
Rauner on Tuesday vetoed SB 1, expecting the General Assembly to then discuss an alternate plan, override the veto or accept the changes to the bill that seeks to revamp a 20-year-old school funding formula that many critics call the worst in the nation.
Rauner, who met Thursday morning with the Northwest Herald Editorial Board, said he believes that lawmakers instead are waiting out time until school starts to generate pressure to pass the bill without the amendments, which he said would take billions of dollars from schools around Illinois and give it to Chicago Public Schools.

Dispatch Argus: Rauner: Legislature must act on school bill
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner said he is encouraging Republicans and Democrats to work together on a school funding bill that is a compromise for both sides.
Gov. Rauner issued an amendatory veto to Senate Bill 1 on Tuesday, legislation that would change the way school districts are funded to one based on need.

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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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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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