Comptroller to Illinois schools: Checks in the mail

Susana Mendoza
Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza said her office has started issuing checks to Illinois schools this week after a long-delayed state budget agreement. (Photo courtesy YouTube)

By RFD Radio

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza is telling Illinois school districts, the check is in the mail.

The comptroller said $541 million in general state aid payments are being distributed to districts across the state. Typically, that money would have been shipped out in early August, but was delayed by the recent school funding debate. Another $264 million dollars is being shipped out Friday for the September payments to schools.

Meanhwhile, Gov. Bruce Rauner is making an announcement on cutting the state’s bill backlog.

In a news release, Rauner announced he intends to exercise borrowing authority to issue $6 billion in bonds to pay down a portion of the state’s bill backlog. The borrowing is something Mendoza called for and will allow the state to pay a lower interest rate than the current interest rate penalty of 12 percent a year on its debt.

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