Protests for Chicago school funding continue as majority of City Council moves to put TIF money into the schools...
Rallying outside of Chicago City Hall on Wednesday, July 20, 2016, members of the Chicago Teachers Union and allies shouted such slogans as "The CPS budget is a joke. Cut from the banks that made us broke" and "Money for schools! Money for books! No more money for corporate crooks!" During the rally, the City Council was meeting inside to discuss budget issues. Substance photo by David R. Stone
Many of the leaders of the Chicago Teachers Union may have been in Minneapolis for the 100th anniversary convention of the American Federation of Teachers between July 17 and July 22, 2016, but the members were still working back home in Chicago in alliance with many community organizations as the nasty details of the latest CPS finances became clear. Joining community, parent, and student organizations that had analyzed and were challenging the latest Chicago Public Schools budget, CTU members continued their fight for full and fair funding for the city's public schools.
Calling for full funding for public education, the Chicago Teachers Union, community organizations and other allies held a series of news conferences outside of Chicago City Council chambers on the second floor of City Hall on the morning of Wednesday, July 20, 2016.
Calling for full funding for public education, the Chicago Teachers Union, community organizations and other allies held a series of news conferences outside of Chicago City Council chambers on the second floor of City Hall on the morning of Wednesday, July 20, 2016. Later that morning, the City Council was set to consider proposals that would return property tax "TIF" dollars to Chicago Public Schools. TIFs are Tax Increment Financing districts set up in some specific areas of the city to divert property taxes into supporting real estate development rather than schools, parks or other social services that rely on city funding. Substance photo by David R. Stone
Later that morning, the Council was set to consider proposals that would return property tax "TIF" dollars to Chicago Public Schools. TIFs are Tax Increment Financing districts set up in some specific areas of the city to divert property taxes into supporting real estate development rather than schools, parks or other social services that rely on city funding.
The update on the fact that the majority of City Council members supported changing the TIF distribution was reflected in the press release issued that morning by Parents 4 Teachers:
Aldermen call on City Council to pass new revenue plan to plug CPS budget shortfall... Measures needed to avert devastating school budget cuts this year
CHICAGO—In the wake of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s refusal to fight for progressive revenue to fund Chicago schools, dozens of aldermen have signed on to new city revenue proposals that would help plug an expected $300 million in devastating budget cuts set to hit schools next year.
Several aldermen joined over 100 parents, teachers, and students today to call on the City Council to act because the only solution the mayor and his hand-picked school board have offered is to cut budgets even further.
CPS data shows that school budgets have been slashed by nearly $750 million just since 2013. Schools have already been cut to the bone and the reduced budgets announced last week will result in skyrocketing class size, teacher layoffs and a reduction in programs and services for students across the city.
Aldermen George Cardenas, Sue Sadlowski-Garza, Carlos Rosa, Roderick Sawyer, Howard Brookins and Tony Foulkes joined parents, teachers and education allies at a press conference today to announce the new revenue package, which would:
· Redirect surplus TIF funds to CPS, worth an estimated $200 million.
· Reinstate and increase the corporate head tax, which the mayor eliminated, worth an estimated $94 million to CPS.
· Increase the personal property lease tax rate—the tax on leasing/renting cars, office equipment and third party data services, worth an estimated $35 million to CPS.
The aldermen introduced the ordinances at today’s city council meeting and by mid-day the TIF ordinance alone had received 40 co-sponsors. [See full list of sponsors below.]
An analysis of school budget cuts since 2013 shows that all but a handful of wards have seen their school budgets slashed, with cuts ranging from $2 million to almost $30 million.
“Our public school students, teachers, and staff deserve support and resources when such terrible violence is plaguing our communities. We cannot afford for cuts to their education to occur,” Alderman George Cardenas said. “Today the City Council has begun the process of helping our schools in the short-term. We believe that it is absolutely imperative to help the public school system meet its funding challenges.” Alderwoman Sue Sadlowski-Garza, a former teacher, said she was proud to stand with parents, teachers, students and colleagues to support more funding for CPS. “We believe that reforms to TIFs and a series of other revenue generating initiatives will resolve the budget gap and result in no cuts to our class rooms. If we don’t invest in our children’s future, we are nothing as a society.”
Alderman Carlos Rosa echoed those sentiments. “The most important thing we can do is to fund our schools,” he said.
Parent Chirag Mehta thanked the aldermen for taking on the CPS funding crisis and sounded an alarm about the current round of budget cuts.
“The school budgets we got last week continue the trend of balancing the budget on the backs of school children and their teachers,” Mehta, a CPS parent and member of Parents 4 Teachers, said. “Teachers did not cause this budget mess and parents will stand with them and their union to fight to make sure our schools are fully funded so all children get a quality education.”
Parent Cresencia Delgado, of Volta School and a member of Communities United, expressed concern about the harm caused to special education students by the never ending budget cuts. “A lot of students come to school with different needs and, without the resources, they won’t get the services they need.”
To date, the mayor has refused to push for progressive revenue sources at the state or city level and, in fact, has sabotaged efforts by others to do so.
While lawmakers tried to push a progressive income tax in Springfield this year, the mayor failed to support it and the measure died. Emanuel also opposes a financial transaction tax and reforms to the TIF program that could funnel more money to schools.
Over the next month, parent and community groups will launch a city-wide mobilization to get city council members on board with the funding package being introduced Wednesday. The groups involved in the campaign include, the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization, the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, Northside Action for Justice, Parents 4 Teachers, Raise Your Hand, Pilsen Alliance, the Chicago Teachers Union, ONE Northside and Communities United.
The TIF ordinance is being sponsored by Ald. Cardenas and Sadlowski Garza. As of this afternoon, the following aldermen have signed on: Napolitano, Anthony V.; Maldonado, Roberto; Sawyer, Roderick T.; Foulkes, Toni; Waguespack, Scott; Pawar, Ameya; Cappleman, James; O'Shea, Matthew J.; Brookins, Jr., Howard; Mitts, Emma; Sposato, Nicholas; Munoz, Ricardo; Villegas, Gilbert; Mell, Deborah; Taliaferro, Chris; Dowell, Pat; Ervin, Jason C.; Ramirez-Rosa, Carlos; King, Sophia; Scott, Jr. Michael; Lopez, Raymond A.; Arena, John; Silverstein, Debra L.; Quinn, Marty; Curtis, Derrick G.; Osterman, Harry; Smith, Michele;Tunney, Thomas; Reilly, Brendan; Moreno, Proco Joe; Reboyras, Ariel; Hopkins, Brian; Burnett, Jr., Walter; Solis, Daniel; Zalewski, Michael R.; Moore, David H.
