The Illinois Republican Party wants the Democratic party to answer the bell, and it's making its point known in a series of robocalls targeting House Speaker Michael Madigan and the Democratic candidates for governor.
“That's a school bell ringing, but your kids may not hear it this fall if Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan gets his way,” the call says, according to a press release. “Mike Madigan and his enablers in the Statehouse are threatening to shut down schools unless they get a special $500 million bailout for Chicago public schools.”
Senate Bill 1, which has passed both chambers of the General Assembly, establishes an evidence-based distribution formula but also includes some special treatment of Chicago Public Schools (CPS), according to the GOP. Democratic lawmakers are holding the bill back from the Gov. Bruce Rauner’s desk, who has vowed to issue an amendatory veto to strip the CPS additions.
House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago)
| By illinoislawmakers - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7C51rHSd6w, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30435112
“First, Madigan held the budget hostage to force through a 32 percent permanent income tax hike with no reforms,” the robocall says. “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.”
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