This later Miller column is a bit disingenuous. It talks about the state’s perceived lack of “higher education appropriations” lately but glosses over the #1 reason for this: Pensions. He states “State higher education appropriations peaked in fiscal 2002 at $2.4 billion” but fails to mention the state was only obliged to contribute only $300M to SURS back then (POB doesn’t count). This year, I think the pension contribution tops $1.7 billion. If you take into account ALL higher ed funding (operations, grants, pensions, etc), higher ed appropriations have tracked quite well with inflation, it’s just that pensions have consumed… Read more »
Mark – This goes back to how Miller is clever in manipulating the conversation. He’s so focused on the 2-to-1 funding ratio between lower and higher ed, which deflects from the main issue why funding for higher ed has lagged in general. And this question goes unasked: If the 2-1 ratio is so important, why not take a third of that $300M per year for “equity based funding” and pump it into higher ed? He kinda touches on that point, but more in the sense of a separate equity based funding for higher ed. Basically, his article is a marketing… Read more »
A largely unasked question is becoming glaring: Is Illinois doing all it should to use artificial intelligence to make government cost less and work better? So far, the evidence says no.
This later Miller column is a bit disingenuous. It talks about the state’s perceived lack of “higher education appropriations” lately but glosses over the #1 reason for this: Pensions. He states “State higher education appropriations peaked in fiscal 2002 at $2.4 billion” but fails to mention the state was only obliged to contribute only $300M to SURS back then (POB doesn’t count). This year, I think the pension contribution tops $1.7 billion. If you take into account ALL higher ed funding (operations, grants, pensions, etc), higher ed appropriations have tracked quite well with inflation, it’s just that pensions have consumed… Read more »
Mr. Miller, quite frankly, is a goof with a pen.
Takes shots at you on his site, blocks your response, then lets his lying followers spew away with total crap. Chicken shit and dishonest.
Mark – This goes back to how Miller is clever in manipulating the conversation. He’s so focused on the 2-to-1 funding ratio between lower and higher ed, which deflects from the main issue why funding for higher ed has lagged in general. And this question goes unasked: If the 2-1 ratio is so important, why not take a third of that $300M per year for “equity based funding” and pump it into higher ed? He kinda touches on that point, but more in the sense of a separate equity based funding for higher ed. Basically, his article is a marketing… Read more »
Miller is a serial spin artist for public unions. Particularly dishonest and chicken sh– the way he rigs his comment board.