CPS says Rauner cant nix its pension money in new school funding bill

Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner demanded that the Democratic Senate leader send him a school funding reform bill immediately — so he can immediately delete the part of it that sends some $220 million to Chicago Public Schools for teacher pensions.

The broke schools system immediately decried such an “amendatory veto” as an overstep of the governor’s power.

Senate Bill 1 has passed both Houses and still awaits the governor’s signature but Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) hasn’t yet sent it to him.

The legislation, which had bipartisan support as well as the blessing of school superintendents across the state, rewrote the state’s school funding formula to benefit districts educating mostly low-income students. CPS, the only district in the state that funds teacher pensions from local tax revenue instead of state contributions, would get about $300 million total.

Read more: http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/cps-says-rauner-cant-nix-its-pension-money-in-new-school-funding-bill/