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Deadline looms for Illinois schools to receive state education funding

As deadline hits, t doesn’t look like school districts across the state will get funding.

CHICAGO, Illinois - Thursday, August 10 is supposed to be the day Illinois schools would get their first state funding payment.

As it stands now, that’s not going to happen.

On Wednesday, democrats called for an education hearing to put the pressure on republicans and build a case to override the governor's amendatory veto of the bill.

At a hearing Wednesday, school superintendents lashed out at Governor Rauner, accusing him of breaking his promise.

“What is being done in the amendatory veto will affect us greatly,” said Nate Cunningham, Superintendent of Crete Monee.

“I don`t know what those schools are going to do if they don`t have something happen fast.  it`s not a perfect bill, but we have to do something,” added Lonnie Lemon, superintendent in Oak Grove District.

In one rewrite of the bill, the Governor adjusts how limitations on property tax increases and tax increment finance districts, known as TIFs, should be accounted for when determining new state money for schools.

Republicans say school districts are hiding TIF money to appear less wealthy.

“In the state of Illinois, essentially, it`s been determined that there are about $12.4 billion that are hidden in TIF districts of EEB value and over half of that is in Chicago,” said Republican Rep. Jeannie Ives of Wheaton.

The Governor continues to defend his veto and claims under his changes Chicago still gets a bonus.

“Chicago is going to get more money, and Rockford and Cicero and Maywood and Blue Island and Dolton and Harvey. This is important this is a social justice issue,” said Rauner.

The Governor`s veto strips out most of the $250 million block grant for Chicago public schools and changes the pension assistance for the district.

Many officials say schools in their district simply won't be able to open without the money. The hold out on passing a bill also hurts other districts across the state.

The senate will head back to Springfield on Sunday and the house will head back next Wednesday to hash out a plan to release money for schools across the state.

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