Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for September 8, 2007 TERROR ALERT...OR TERRORISM?

Looks to me like Governor Blagojevich has borrowed a page out of the President Bush playbook...when the going gets rough, issue a terrorism alert...distract the people from the real terror...incompetent government.

Written warning

By Mike Riopell, the southern springfield bureau

SPRINGFIELD - Gov. Rod Blagojevich sent letters to every school district in the state Friday, warning local superintendents that inaction by lawmakers means they'll lose millions in state money.

For Southern Illinois schools, that adds up to a $17.7 million shortfall estimated by the Governor's Office of Management and Budget. The losses range from $517,000 in Mount Vernon, $266,000 for the Egyptian School District and $155,000 in Jonesboro.

In the letter, the governor laid the blame squarely on House Speaker Michael Madigan, a fellow Chicago Democrat he has squabbled with all year.

Each of the more than 800 letters was personalized to describe how much each district wouldn't get should the Madigan-controlled House not approve the money. Blagojevich released the letter to reporters Friday, but schools won't see them until they land in mailboxes, likely Monday.

Last month, lawmakers approved a budget that could give $554 million more to schools statewide. But the House has yet to act on further legislation that essentially lets that increase take effect.

"The Speaker of the House, Michael Madigan, is the only person who can call an implementation bill for a vote," Blagojevich writes in the letter.

News of the letter comes a day after Madigan scheduled hearings across the state about cuts Blagojevich made in the budget, including millions from select lawmakers' pet projects. Madigan called them "savage cuts" with "seriously adverse consequences."

Matt Donkin, Franklin-Williamson Regional Superintendent of School, commented that there were reports that schools could make it to December without a state budget.

"I don't know where those schools are, but they aren't in my districts," Donkin said. "In my region, schools need that money to make payroll and plan programs. It is hard to do any planning when you don't know how much money is going to be coming in to your district.

"I hope the General Assembly can get together and pass the legislation that's needed to get us past a very messy summer so that local school districts can concentrate on doing their jobs," he added.

Madigan's spokesman said Friday that the House would work to approve all aspects of a budget agreement, but didn't specify when lawmakers might vote on the increased school funding.

And spokesman Steve Brown criticized Blagojevich's methods in sending about 800 letters to the state's superintendents.

"It's not surprising that the governor would use that kind of sleazy tactic," Brown said.

The House is not scheduled to meet again until the first week in October, and the Senate is scheduled to come in Monday to deal with Chicago-area transit problems and a statewide construction plan.

The Senate has already approved legislation for the school funding increase.

- Reporter Becky Malkovich contributed to this story.