Number of half-empty Chicago public schools doubles, yet lawmakers want to extend school closing moratorium – Wirepoints
April 19, 2024
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A set of state lawmakers want to extend CPS’ current school closing moratorium to February 1, 2027 – the same year CPS is set to transition to a fully-elected school board. That means schools like Manley High School, with capacity for more than 1,000 students but enrollment of just 78, can’t be closed for anther three years. The school spends $45,000 per student, but just 2.4% of students read at grade level.
Hopefully, all media will get the message, in Illinois, too.
Ted joined Tom Miller of WJPF to talk about Illinois’ highest-in-the-nation property taxes, why lawmakers don’t want to touch the tax’s cost drivers, just how much Illinoisans’ tax burden has grown over the decades, why Gov. Pritzker failed to meet his promise to reform property taxes, and more.
The penalty payment from the school district to the TRS pension fund for exceeding 6% annual salary increases or granting excess sick leave in the last 4 years of the employees career comes from local property taxes but the resulting spiked pension is the responsibility of taxpayer statewide. So instead of paying TRS $1,850,404 in penalty payments the district could have have hired additional teachers or paraprofessionals, purchased lab supplies, etc., or heaven forbid levy $1.8M less in property taxes over that time. Community colleges and state universities are also subject to penalty payments for excess salary increases or granting… Read more »