Illinois Valley Times

Gov. Bruce Rauner has called legislators back to Springfield to work on the state's public education funding measure after growing tired of waiting for it to reach his desk despite passing both houses.

Many Republicans, including Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris), accuse Democrats of holding onto Senate Bill 1 for fear of a Rauner veto, which he has threatened because he believes it gives preferential treatment to Chicago Public Schools (CPS). By not sending the bill to Rauner, schools throughout the state are in danger of not being able to open this fall.

"Even though a state budget is in place, Democrats are preventing schools from getting state funding by playing political games with a new formula that is required by law to be enacted before they can receive the bulk of their funding for the coming school year," Rezin said on her website. "Senate Republicans are asking Democrat leaders to stop manufacturing an unnecessary crisis and take action, to ensure Illinois schools receive their state funding and their doors open on time."

Rep. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) | Courtesy of senatorrezin.com

The legislation had been amended just before it was passed in order to divert funding from more than 800 districts to benefit CPS, according to Rezin.

An amendatory veto would bring SB 1 more closely in line with the proposals of the Funding Reform Commission and SB 1124, which had been introduced by Senate Republicans but not voted on. Rezin is a co-sponsor of SB 1124.