(Photo courtesy Facebook/Bruce Rauner)
By Greg Halbleib
SPRINGFIELD – Gov. Bruce Rauner is telling lawmakers to send him the education funding bill or be prepared to report to Springfield.
The Republican governor told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin and Patti Penn the Democratic majority has limited time to place the Senate Bill 1 education funding measure on his desk or he’ll adjust their schedule.
“I want that bill on my desk by noon Monday so our school’s can get funded on time,” Gov. Rauner said. “And if that bill is not on my desk by noon Monday, I’m going to call a special session and force everybody in the General Assembly back here to Springfield to get this funding done so our schools can open on time with the right amount of money.”
PODCAST: Listen here to Gov. Rauner’s interview on WJBC.
The governor confirmed that he’ll veto the provision to send an additional $300 million to Chicago school pensions.
He said the funding measure needs to be in place by July 31st for schools to receive state money by the start of the fall semester. The governor accused House Speaker Michael Madigan of holding back Senate Bill 1 to create a deadline crisis for all of the state’s schools and force the Chicago school pension funding to remain intact.
“He rules through fear,” Gov. Rauner said. “He creates crises that scare people and force bad things. That’s how he forced a tax hike on everybody on the Fourth of July weekend over my veto. He’s trying to do that right now. In the end, it takes the people of Illinois to say enough is enough.”
Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].
