Education Matters US

Editor’s note: The Palatine District 15 School Board passed a resolution yesterday evening opposing SB2288 and HB750. The resolution passed with 6 Yes votes and 1 Abstention. Some Republican legislators are rumored to be supporting the bills, which would allow the General Assembly to override a possible Blagojevich veto. There is a movement afoot to have the resolution presented to other school boards around the state.

A RESOLUTION ADVOCATING AGAINST SB2288 and HB750

A RESOLUTION to send a letter to the Illinois state elected officials listed below, advocating against Illinois Senate Bill 2288 and Illinois House Bill 750.

WHEREAS, the Community Consolidated School District 15 Board of Education is responsible for advocating to the Illinois state elected officials representing the District 15 attendance area in matters related to education and impacting District 15; and

WHEREAS, HB750 and SB2288 propose raising the personal income tax rate from 3% to 5%, a 67% increase, and propose raising the corporate income tax rate from 4.8% to 8%; and

WHEREAS, the proposed property tax relief (if enacted) provides only a 20% reduction on the education portion of the property tax payers’ bill, and there are no restrictions preventing an increase in local property tax rates or redirection of the property tax abatement fund; and

WHEREAS, with a slowing economy and increasing prices, an increase in taxes will adversely affect the District 15 community, families and businesses and adversely affect the tax base that supports education in District 15; and

WHEREAS, of the $8 billion estimated to be raised by SB2288 and HB750, only 7.5% will go to education, 36% will go to property tax relief, and the remaining 56.5% will go to fund state debt, road construction, state employee pensions and unpaid Medicaid bills, which do not benefit education; and

WHEREAS, the proposed increases in state funding for education under HB750 and SB2288 will only provide a small increase in the state funding that District 15 actually receives; and

WHEREAS, shifting substantial portions of District 15 revenues from a steady property tax base under local control, to a less reliable income tax base under State control, undermines the idea of local control of education; and

WHEREAS, we believe that under HB750 and SB2288 the District 15 attendance area will send more tax revenue to the state than it will receive from the state, providing less tax base to support education in District 15;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMUNITY CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT 15 BOARD OF EDUCATION THAT:

We urge the Illinois state elected officials representing the District 15 attendance area to oppose SB 2288 and HB 750, as we believe it will adversely affect local control of education, provides a less reliable form of education funding for District 15 and will reduce the tax base available to support education in District 15 by increasing the State tax burden on District 15 families and businesses.

Approved this ___ day of April 2008

TIM MILLAR
President, Board of Education, Community Consolidated School District 15

Illinois State Elected Officials Representing the District 15 Attendance Area

Illinois Senate

Illinois House of Representatives