By Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON – Gov. Bruce Rauner said his amendatory veto of the school funding bill, known as Senate Bill 1, is the subject of a misinformation campaign by Democratic lawmakers who are part of the Chicago Machine.

The veto removed funding for debt-ridden Chicago school pensions. The Republican governor told WJBC’s Sam Wood it’s not true that Peoria schools will lose $1 million in state funding. In fact, the Governor claims Peoria will gain about $3 million from the veto, and he said other downstate communities will benefit as well.

“They are spreading misinformation around the state in an effort to protect the original SB1 funding bill which unfairly siphons hundreds of millions of dollars away from schools in Lincoln and Springfield and Decatur and Danville, and sends it to Chicago,” he said.

Earlier, Senate Minority Leader Bill Brady of Bloomington told our Scott Laughlin and Patti Penn it appears Democrats don’t have the votes to override Rauner’s amendatory veto.

On another topic, Rauner said he signed legislation that requires all state employees to undergo annual cybersecurity training, and he said Democratic candidates trying to deny him a second term next year all favor higher taxes.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

Sam Wood contributed to this story.