It promises to be a challenging session for our leaders in Springfield.
A new governor — the first Democrat in nearly three decades — and 32 new
legislators face the immediate task of cutting as much as $5 billion from the
state budget over two years just to keep Illinois running. And economists
aren't painting rosy pictures that a recovery will make future budgets any
easier.
We kept this in mind when setting MPC's 2003
policy agenda, looking for creative, cost-effective solutions to Illinois'
problems. To address the lack of affordable housing in areas of high
job-growth, we're joining with Protestants for the Common Good and the Chicago
Fair Housing Alliance to support HB 2246: the Housing Opportunity Tax
Incentive Act. It provides a property tax incentive to landlords who
accept tenants with Housing Choice Vouchers in "opportunity areas" such as
Chicago's north and northwest suburbs where housing costs are beyond the means
of entry-level wage-earners. Formerly known as Section 8 vouchers, Housing
Choice Vouchers pay the landlord what the tenant cannot afford. In
opportunity areas, landlords currently have no incentive to accept vouchers
because they have no trouble finding tenants. This revenue-neutral tax
incentive would give working people a better chance to find housing close to
their jobs.
Members of Network 21: Quality Schools for Stronger Communities are
supporting three education bills that do require some new money, recognizing
that targeted investment in our broken education system will pay itself off many
times over as an investment in our future workforce.
SB 696, sponsored by Sen. Larry Woolard (D-Marion) would raise the per-pupil
funding foundation level — the amount the State guarantees be spent on each
student, making up the difference for those in revenue-poor districts — to
$5,665. This matches the recommendations of education consultants
Augenblick & Myers, who found that highly efficient schools where two-thirds
or more of students perform at grade level spend at least that much. The
Education Funding Advisory Board also recommends raising the foundation level to
$5,665 over three years, adjusting for inflation. The current foundation
level is $4,560 — providing only $25 per student per day for teachers,
principals, counselors, textbooks, lab equipment, sports and other expenses in
poor districts without the revenue base to provide more.
To ensure that education funds are used more effectively in the future,
Network 21 also supports SB 904/HB 3583, sponsored by Sen. Susan Garrett (D-Lake
Forest) and Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago), which would change the state
assessment system to comply with new federal requirements and provide feedback
to teachers and parents to improve student learning. The bill would also
provide teachers with professional development and resources to use assessments
to improve student achievement.
SB 634/HB 3184, sponsored by Sen. Woolard and Rep. Calvin Giles (D-Chicago)
seeks an extension of bonding authority for school construction projects by $1
billion for FY 2005. This will allow Illinois to begin meeting the backlog
of unmet school construction needs.
These four bills work together to further the goals of sensible growth by
strengthening communities — through expanded housing options and more successful
schools. They make sense in an economic climate thirsty for local
investment.
For more information, or to lend your name to any or all of these
initiatives, contact Peter Skosey at 312-863-6004. And check back at
MPC's Web site — we'll be providing fact sheets on each piece of legislation and
adding to their lists of supporters as they grow.