January 4. 2008

Springfield … Schools will now have to wait longer to receive promised education dollars with Governor Blagojevich’s amendatory veto of the education budget implementation bill. Even though the budget was passed in August, the education budget implementation bill is needed to release these budgeted dollars. Senate Bill 783, which was the education BIMP bill was passed on November 2, and would have become law if the Governor had not taken action on the legislation by midnight.

“I don’t understand why Governor Blagojevich has been dragging his feet on this bill. The changes he wants to this bill should have been given to us last year, not 12 hours before the bill’s deadline,” Reboletti said.

The increase for education in the 2008 budget included: a $400 per pupil increase in general state aid, $136.8 million for mandated categoricals, a $20 million increase in the Early Childhood Block Grant and an increase in special education personnel reimbursement. The Governor’s amendatory veto changes the school year dates in which a district can claim a special education personnel reimbursement under the increased formula from the 2007-2008 school year to the 2006-2007 school year.

“This legislation benefits ALL children in this state – regardless of geography or income and was passed unanimously in the House and Senate,” Reboletti said. “My hope is that when the legislature meets next week, we will quickly pass these changes and allow the schools to receive funding that was promised to them back in August.”

Additional questions can be directed to Reboletti’s office at (630) 530-2730.


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