Reboletti Outraged at Governor’s Raid of Dedicated School Funds

August 17, 2007

Addison … State Representative Dennis Reboletti (R-Elmhurst) is appalled at Governor Blagojevich’s plan to not release state funds for school construction grants promised to Villa Park School District 45 and 22 other districts more than five years ago.

In FY2002, Villa Park School District 45 was promised $980,545 in school construction grants for Ardmore & Stevenson Elementary Schools. School District 45 has yet to receive a single penny. The House Republican caucus was instrumental in getting $150 million included in the recently signed supplemental appropriation bill to pay for school construction grants for 23 school districts. However after the bill signing, a spokesman from the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget promptly announced that the school districts would not be receiving the funding because they failed to submit updated paperwork.

“I am completely disgusted that Governor Blagojevich would blatantly disregard the needs of the school children across this state,” Reboletti said. “The Governor’s action doesn’t match his rhetoric on helping the children in this state.”

Villa Park School District 45, along with 22 other school districts, received letters of entitlement from the State Board of Education and Capitol Development Board indicating their grant award from the state.

“Villa Park School District 45 has done everything asked of them by the state and this administration. It is completely unacceptable that this Governor finds it amusing to play partisan politics with school districts,” Reboletti said. “Every school district in this state should be concerned by the Governor’s actions. He can not be trusted.”

Reboletti stated that he has sent a letter to the Governor calling on him to reconsider his decision and fund the $150 million school construction grant program

Additional questions can be directed to Rep. Reboletti at (630) 530-2730.

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