is assistant minority leader in the Illinois House of Representatives. (WJBC file photo)
By Eric Stock
NORMAL – Unit 5 officials have said slow state aid is partly to blame for the busing problems that the district has faced during the first week of school.
State Rep. Dan Brady acknowledged the state is behind on payments to schools, particularly for areas like transportation.
PODCAST: Listen to Scott’s interview with Brady on WJBC.
“There’s no doubt the state with transportation money needs to do more to get caught up,” Brady said, adding the state does have a full year’s budget for K-through-12 education for the first time in a while.
Superintendent Mark Daniel has said the district is short $1.4 million because the state still hasn’t paid the district 30 percent of what it owes.
The Unit 5 school board has moved its regular meeting to Normal West High School tonight as a large crowd is expected many students and parents have dealt with late and overcrowded buses.
Elections
State lawmakers don’t plan to return to Springfield until November, so party leaders are turning their attention to the elections.
Brady, an assistant house minority leader, told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin he believes the GOP can pick up as many as four House seats this year.
“We are not going to take back the majority in the Illinois House of Representatives,” Brady said “Could we win a few seats to get out of that super minority and make things closer?”
Democrats currently hold a 71-46 majority in that chamber. The Illinois House has been in Democratic control for nearly 20 years.
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
