7am News, Sports and Obits
Latest WGIL news
Click to play or
Right click and "Save Target As" to download
Click for Galesburg, Illinois Forecast
Home - Cancellations - Community Events - Contact Us - Mornings - News - Obituaries - Pictures - Programs - Special Events Audio - Sports - Weather
Officials Concerned About State Budget Cuts and Impact to School Districts
Local school districts like Galesburg may have to do something they don't want to do if Governor Pat Quinn and some Democratic leaders get their way.

Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations Guy Cahill told the school board's budget committee Thursday that among the things Quinn is likely to propose in his upcoming budget address is shifting the burden of funding pensions entirely to local school districts.

Cahill says that could mean millions to the district, and any of the options for paying for that don't look good to him.

"What do you want to do, cut a 100 teachers position, or raise taxes $1.30, which is what it means in District-205," he said. "(That) is $435 on a $100,00 home homeowners' tax bill. Let's face it, you've got crappy options."

"No one wants to raise taxes because the climate isn't right. And the burden on our tax payers is already pretty great compared to other parts of the state."

Cahill calls the proposed reforms "scary" based on how much would need to be done and the hit on local school districts.

And pension reform isn't even the only possible hit to local school districts thanks to the state. Cahill says there's also the possibility of cuts to per-pupil spending and to transportation reimbursements, even moreso than were absorbed this year.
02 10 12 by Newsroom
News management powered by Xpression News

Click here for the WGIL News Archive

Click here for national news

The following provision applies to all visitors (which shall include persons and representatives of legal entities, whether such representatives are persons or digital engines of a kind that crawls, indexes, scrapes, copies, stores or transmits digital content). By accessing this Web site or digital service, you specifically acknowledge and agree that: (i) Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium; (ii) No Associated Press materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use; (iii) The Associated Press will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing; (iv) The Associated Press is an intended third party beneficiary of these terms and conditions and it may exercise all rights and remedies available to it; and (v) The Associated Press reserves the right to audit possible unauthorized commercial use of AP materials or any portion thereof at any time.