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The problem with Illinois’ system of
public-education funding is well documented. Though many agree that the
formula relies too much on local property taxes, others think the issue is
spending rather than funding. “Our state doesn’t show the will to
address what we’ve done with the money we’ve spent, so how will
more money solve the problem?” asks Joe Calomino, Illinois director
of Americans for Prosperity, a national group that advocates for issues of
fiscal conservatism.
A tax swap — which is how one piece of
legislation that seeks to remedy the school-financing formula, House Bill
750, is often characterized — won’t fix the problem, Calomino
says. Whatever the case, something needs to happen —
there needs to be more dialogue, he says. On Monday, Jan. 5,
Calomino’s group will be in Springfield to discuss the challenges of
education reform in Illinois. The talk takes place at 6 p.m. at the
University of Illinois at Springfield.
Panelists include Illinois Business Roundtable
president Jeff Mays, Heartland Institute fellow Dr. George Clowes, Illinois
Network of Charter Schools director Elizabeth Evans, and the Illinois
Policy Institute’s education policy and reform director, Collin Hitt.
Hitt, who lives in Springfield, has called HB 750 a
good place to start. The meeting was scheduled to coincide with Illinois
General Assembly’s Education Caucus meeting, which takes place
earlier in the day. Calomino says lawmakers were invited to attend the
forum. “We have a lot of problems, and we
haven’t had a whole lot of leadership to address those
problems,” Calomino says.
“Americans for Prosperity doesn’t want to
just complain and cry, but we also want to find solutions.”.
Contact R.L. Nave at rnave@illinoistimes.com.
This article appears in Jan 25-31, 2007.
