By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – Some lawmakers are accusing the governor of playing politics with education funding. Gov. JB Pritzker’s plan to tie the new “evidence-based” school funding to a graduated income tax is a bad one, say Illinois Republicans, including State Rep. Avery Bourne (R-Morrisonville).

“We expect more of our schools’ budgeting process than we do out of the legislature’s,” Bourne told a statehouse news conference Thursday, the day after the budget presentation. Schools have to submit their full-year budget in September. They need to know what their hiring decisions are, It’s not possible that a school can hire a social worker in January,” if, for example, the graduated tax bill becomes law halfway through the school year.

So now what? Bourne said, “My hope is now that we go into the budgeting process and we meet with appropriations committees,” she said, “and we talk about a balanced budget that prioritizes our priorities without increasing taxes.”

State Rep. Steve Reick (R-Woodstock) said he can’t believe Pritzker would hold back on such a high priority. “If he wants Republicans to work with him on crafting a truly balanced budget,” he said, “that budget must take into account the priorities that we have established through hard work on the evidence-based funding model, which seems to be working.”

The proposed graduated income tax – which backers say will mean a tax increase for only the top three percent of earners – must have a three-fifths statewide vote in November.

The governor, if the graduated income tax passes, is proposing a $42 billion spend for the twelve months beginning July 1.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]