By: Nick Binotti and Ted Dabrowski
If you’re frustrated with Illinois’ educational results – more than 1.2 million public school students can’t read at grade level, despite a spend of more than $24,000 per student – then you may want to start following the money between the teachers unions and Illinois politicians. It should give you a clue of where the problem lies.
In the last four years alone, Illinois lawmakers and political candidates have taken nearly $30 million in contributions from teachers unions and their national affiliates.
Nearly $26 million, or 94%, of those contributions have been accepted by Democrats, while some $2.5 million in union money has also gone toward greasing the wheels with Republicans. That’s according to data compiled from the Illinois State Board of Elections that tracks state and local political contributions made by federal, state, and local teacher unions.
That back-scratching between unions and state politicians is a core part of Illinois’ political machine. Teachers unions dole out election campaign money to politicians. In exchange, politicians enhance union power and benefits and kill off threats to their monopoly control over K-12 education despite the system’s dismal results. Over 67%, or 1.2 million, of Illinois public school students can’t read at grade level, despite the state spending over $24,000 per student.
Reducing or eliminating the power of Illinois’ political machine will only happen when Illinoisans choose legislators who refuse to be bought off by the teachers unions. To be clear, it’s not just about the unions and their money – they are self-interested parties taking advantage of the system. It’s about the willingness of lawmakers – on both sides of the aisle – to take the money and do the unions’ bidding.
Follow the money
Since 2020, 19 of the top 20 recipients of teacher union political contributions were Democrats or Democratic Party-supported initiatives. Brandon Johnson, buoyed by his mayoral run, led the field by a wide margin with $5.8 million in contributions. House Speaker Chris Welch and Senate President Don Harmon followed, each accepting slightly over $1 million.
The pro-progressive income tax political action committee “Vote Yes for Fair Tax” received $1.2 million from teacher unions. And End Homelessness, aka Bring Chicago Home and its related real estate transfer tax hike, received a little over $500,000.
The unions also heavily supported the general PACs that work to get Democrats elected. The Senate Democratic Fund received nearly half a million and the house fund received $450,000.
Republicans, too
Republicans have taken nearly $2.5 million in contributions from teacher unions since 2020. The majority of that came from the Illinois Education Association (IEA), the parent union for many of the teachers unions in downstate school districts.
There’s a catch, though. Over $460,000 of that money went towards union-supported challengers running in this year’s Republican primary. The IEA tried and failed to replace two downstate Republicans – Adam Niemerg and Blaine Wilhour – with their own candidates, Jim Acklin and Matt Hall.
Republican Dan Brady, who ran for Secretary of State in 2022, took $275,000 from the IEA who, in a rare move for teacher unions, endorsed him over Democrat Alexi Giannoulias. Brady lost.
State Rep. from the 70th district, Jeff Keicher, was next at the top of the list for Republicans. He received nearly $175,000 over the four years. Sue Rezin from the 38th district followed, accepting more than $130,000. House Minority Leader Tony McCombie has also accepted more than $128,000 from teachers unions, though it should be noted all those contributions date from before she assumed her leadership role in early 2023.
*****************
From statewide races and ballot initiatives to local school districts referendums, teacher unions remain one of the most powerful players in Illinois politics.
Want to reform education? Make whether candidates accept money from the teachers unions a key part of how you vote.
Methodology
This study focuses on the major teacher unions in state politics: National Education Association (NEA), Illinois Education Association (IEA), American Federation Federation of Teachers (AFT), Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT), Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), and Cook County College Teachers Union (CCCTU). It does not include local-level suburban or downstate teacher union contributions.
Read more from Wirepoints:
- Ted Dabrowski, et al.: Look for Chicago’s pension mess to become worse. That’s a bad sign for taxpayers. – Wirepoints, Taxpayer Pension Alliance in the Chicago Sun-Times*
- Four more Illinois factories close: Lawmakers fiddle as cities burn
- Illinois property tax woes continue: ATTOM says Illinoisans pay nation’s highest rate
- Chicago’s crime numbers must have DNC organizers sweating
The bill passed despite their votes in response to certain incidents where local prosecutors are thought to have been too lenient with non-citizens assaulting cops.
The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board cited Wirepoints’ analysis of Chicago student proficiency data in their latest piece condemning the Chicago Teachers Union’s outrageous contract demands…all while a vast majority of Chicago’s children graduate unable to read at grade level.
Ted joined Tom Miller of WJPF to talk about the details of Gov. Pritzker’s proposed $52 billion budget, why the state is struggling now that federal covid dollars have run out, the controversy surrounding Tier 2 government pensions, why Illinois’ expensive education system fails to teach children to read, the outrageous demands of the Chicago Teachers Union, and more.
Ted joined Jeff Daly to discuss how politicians can never spend enough on education despite there being no accountability for that spending, the growth of education staffing across Illinois, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s $1 billion demand for Chicago schools, why Gov. Pritzker is providing $830 million in taxpayer subsidies to struggling EV carmaker Rivian, and more.
Public unions should be banned from donating to the politicians that will negotiate their contracts. Makes sense, but don’t hold your breath waiting for that law. Taxpayer money being laundered through their shared pockets.
Sure, I can agree to that BUT only if financial donations to political campaigns from any person to organization to include companies are similarly banned when an obvious self-interest comes into play. Otherwise, you are clearly choosing people and entities you don’t like for such banishment.
They have gamed the system and destroyed the quality of life for the private sector taxpayer.
No wonder people are fleeing in ever increasing numbers, even retired teachers run out of the state.
The numbers just do not even come close to adding up, so something is going to have to give.
Pure and simple it is bribery and all pension money are criminally ill gotten gains. Illinois taxpayers have ZERO obligation to pay. Period.When Chicago, Cook County and Illinois go bankrupt this accurate and morally right knowledge of this massive multi generational crime will be the fact on the ground and the pensioner co-conspirators will receive exactly what they deserve: jack squat. Teachers Unions are thieving scum and even dog food is too good for them
Well, that’s your take, but any resemblance to legal reality now or later is likely no more than coincidental. Your hubris only works when you talk to yourself.
He doesn’t even believe that James. It’s just something he writes because he’s frustrated that these people get a pension and he knows that he is unable to stop it. He has a massive hatred for teachers and yet he knows that he is forced to pay for people that he hates. It’s just something to make him feel better. TPG is getting exactly what he deserves, more taxes to pay for teachers.
Okay, well said. He’s just another Paine in the Rs, I oppose.
Gloat and chuckle now but most Illinois taxpayers know that they are being scammed and they know who is doing it. When the inevitable bond market credit card freeze up happens and the pension checks stop, hope that teachers union members have plenty of Gravy Train stored in the basement. People on the street will spit on and step over these begging grifters.
Sure they will TPG. You keep telling yourself that. It’s all you have.
Bragging about the largest generational theft in the history of the world.
You have big Stones.
“A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul” – George Bernard Shaw
Add to that decades of single party rule in Chicago, Cook County, and at the state level, you have a boa constrictor around the necks of city, county and state budgets; that is to say, the taxpayers.
Of course politicians who accept money from teacher unions in exchange for promoting union interests over the public interest are a big part of the problem.
ComEd officials were promoting their own interests too. They are in prison, Mike Madigan has yet to be tried, and the teachers union now owns the mayor’s office. Funny how this “only promoting their own interest” system works.
Theoretically at least I’m all for taxpayer funding of political campaigns to rid us of such undue influence. But, let’s face it: when the rubber hits the road as to the huge tax increases needed it simply likely won’t be doable.
I don’t remember seeing too many complaints on this site when Griffin was throwing money at campaigns. Liberals complain about wealthy conservatives throwing money at elections while conservatives complain about union money or Soros. Both sides complain how the other buys elections while ignoring their side doing the exact same thing.
Respectfully the big difference is Griffin’s and JB’s money is from their own private money. The unions use some of the money from dues which come from the employees and the school employees get the money from mostly property taxes with some coming from the state. So in essence taxpayers are funding the school unions choice for the politicians they backed. Now if the school employees use money from their own bank account to donate that is their choice. Maybe some of them vote for the other party but when their dues are used they have little choice unless they… Read more »
That’s how you personally justify the hypocrisy Freddy. Many business make their money by selling goods and services to government agencies/municipalities. Their money ultimately came from the taxpayers as well. Not sure how many businesses exist without profits that are somehow affiliated with the taxpayers? Unions use money of its members as is allowed and members are able to opt out if they choose. That money is freely given.
Don’t complain about big money going to someone you don’t like while justifying money obtained for your candidate.
PPF, 95% of union $$ goes to Dems who basically control Illinois/Taxistan.
Get a clue dude.
I remember seeing a lot of complaints about Griffin’s funding during the primary. But your larger point is correct, wealthy donors support both parties. The issue with Soros is that he is a foreigner who is funding the most insane progressives who’ve oversaw massive increases in crime and blight in cities. Many urban centers are collapsing like it’s 1968 all over again.
Not quite apples to apples but point made. Griffin was trying to fund republicans in a state dominated by Chicago and Cook County democrats , where republicans have little hope of winning. A poorly run state dominated by public unions with the highest debt per capita in the country. Soros etc pours money into states attorneys here and nationwide, he’s funding the lockjaw democrats have on a poorly run state with rising crime. But yes, big money is overall an issue.
And this explains why Pritzker went back on his campaign promise to lower property tax, along with the promise of fair maps. IL is unfixable.
I have a theory about why Illinois has more than its fair share of progressive thinkers. Their minds were underutilized during their developmental years. The educational system required very little from them to advance from grade to grade, and one parent families didn’t have the time to help their children. When this goes on for many years, as it now has in Chicago, the poorly educated children become adults and they now start pushing a new generation of children through the same system that failed them. Each year the CPS spits out another graduation class of progressive thinkers to begin… Read more »
Agree. The CPS keep adding new progressive voters faster than the rest of Illinois can produce conservative voters. To fix Illinois you must focus on the Chicago public schools, destroy their teacher’s union, and that’s simply not going to happen anytime soon given the Chicago political situation. If this situation is ever addressed, it will take 20 years to start seeing the results ….or you could move to a red state if you don’t want to wait that long.
Progressive voters are unable to recognize cause and effect. They seem incapable of anything beyond surface/easy thinking. Deep thought eludes them. Facts don’t matter to them. Their “feelings” are their truth, hence Wirepoint efforts to show them statistical evidence will have little impact. Also, don’t bother trying to engage them in debate because they will always focus on the exception to the rule rather than the overwhelming majority evidence.
The entire progressive agenda is based on emotional appeal because the facts and objective reality are not on their side. The Woke-Bot CEO of NPR said at a TED Talk several years back that ““Our reverence for the truth might be a distraction that’s getting in the way of finding common ground and getting things done.” But at the end of the day, all of this emotional appeal is complete nonsense. What this is really about is raw power, as everything in life is about. She wants to control what you can say and do. She wants to control your… Read more »
Of course they will pass Nuremberg Laws to make it all perfectly legal. Because everyone knows that what’s legal is the only measure of what’s right.
A college prof I know who is always complaining about his progressive students had a simpler answer when I asked him what he thought are the causes: “They are mentally ill,” he said.