Monday, April 9, 2018

Pension Cost Shift Diverts Money from Classrooms, Could Hike Property Taxes

Chicago, IL – Bruce Rauner’s FY19 budget proposal attempts to “balance” the budget on the backs of working people. With the General Assembly holding budget hearings this week, the Pritzker campaign is highlighting the different communities hurt by this failed governor’s unbalanced budget.

The crux of Rauner’s budget proposal focuses on a pension cost shift where Rauner “saves” hundreds of millions of dollars by passing the pension responsibility to local school districts. But with no proportional increase in state funding for education, Rauner’s plan forces school districts to make a choice: divert funds from classrooms or increase local property taxes.

“Working families across the state could pay the price for another unbalanced budget from this failed governor,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “If Bruce Rauner did his homework, he’d learn his budget would take money out of classrooms and could force a property tax hike, but instead he’s busy taking credit for a bill he vetoed to prop up his failing reelection bid.”

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