ALTON – State Rep. Dan Beiser, D-Alton, recently supported legislation that created a new funding formula for schools across the state that provides additional revenue for local schools.
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“The system for funding our schools sent too much money to wealthy, suburban school districts while short-changing school districts in Southern Illinois,” Beiser said. “The new funding formula will direct more state funding to schools in the most needed districts, including sending over $2 million to schools in the communities I represent.”
Beiser worked with Democrats and Republicans to find a compromise on school funding, after Gov. Rauner vetoed a measure that passed the General Assembly with bipartisan support. Rauner’s plan would have forced property taxes to increase and forced local officials to choose to support economic development efforts or funding education. The proposal that eventually became law provides minimum funding levels for school districts and provides additional state funds to schools based on their needs. Local school districts in Beiser’s district will receive over $2.7 million in additional state funding. Finally, the measure establishes a way for school districts to lower their property tax levy as they get more assistance from the state to help reduce the burden of property taxes on homeowners.
“For too long elected officials have gone from crisis to crisis in Illinois,” said Beiser. “As soon as one issue was addressed, we had to rush to fix another. This school funding formula will help address the changing dynamics in our schools, provide additional funding for students and teachers and provide a path forward to help lower property taxes. We need more bipartisan legislation like this that helps the state get on the right track for many years to come.”
For more information, please contact Beiser’s constituent service office at 618-465-5900.
