 Gov. Pat Quinn in late June vetoed $11 million from the state budget
that was supposed to pay the 44 regional superintendents of schools.
In fact, these superintendents have not been paid since June 30.
"A lot of regional superintendents are struggling," said
Hancock/McDonough County Regional Superintendent of Schools John
Meixner. "I have worked out an agreement with my local county to
form some type of a bridge loan, using the discretionary enterprise
funds from our office ... so that we can at least make our mortgage
payments, our car payments, put food on the table."
Meixner said his arrangement is designed to get him through the
fall veto session, which begins Oct. 25.
Going into the veto session, lawmakers have two options to pay
the regional superintendents.
The General Assembly can override Quinn's veto and restore the
$11 million to the budget. Or lawmakers can pay the regional
superintendents with money from the personal property tax
replacement fund.
Those dollars come from taxes on corporations, trusts and public
utilities. The state collects the taxes and then distributes that
money to local governments to replace the property taxes local
government used to collect from the entities.
But House Speaker Mike Madigan, D-Chicago, controls the original
legislation containing the regional superintendents' pay, and only
he can call for an override.
Steve Brown, a spokesman for Madigan, said "there has not been a
final decision made" about whether to push for an override or
introduce new legislation that would pay regional superintendents
from local tax money.
Kelly Kraft, budget spokeswoman for the governor, said the latter
option is Quinn's choice.
"We feel the regional superintendents, which are locally elected,
should be funded in the same manner (as other local elected
officials) to relieve pressure from the state's general revenue
fund," said Kraft.
Rock Island County Regional Superintendent of Schools Tammy
Muerhoff said she doesn't care how she is paid, as long she is paid
soon.
"This has created a hardship for everyone," said Muerhoff, one of
a handful of new regional superintendents whose first day on the job
was a day after their last paycheck.
"It's hard to describe the feelings that you have," Muerhoff
added. "Knowing that you are doing great work, you're providing a
service, but you're not being compensated for it."
Muerhoff also said she expects to start getting a paycheck after
veto session.
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State Rep. Roger Eddy, R-Hutsonville, said all of the regional
superintendents need to pay attention to what Madigan says.
"The only person that can file for a veto override is the
speaker," Eddy said Tuesday. "And it's my understanding that he's
going to try the governor's plan first."
Eddy is quick to say that finding support to pay regional
superintendents with personal property tax replacement money could
be difficult.
Adams/Pike County Regional Superintendent of Schools Debbie
Niederhauser said the governor is going to have to sell his idea to
more than just lawmakers.
Using property tax replacement dollars "takes money away from our
school districts, our county boards, our park districts, and that's
not what we're about," said Niederhauser.
Jackson/Perry County Regional Superintendent of Schools Donna
Boros said she and the other regional superintendents can only wait
and watch.
"At this point, I think all options are open," Boros said. "We
need to be paid, so that we're not distracted from our focus of
helping kids."
Lawmakers convene Oct. 25-27 and again from Nov. 8-10.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By BENJAMIN YOUNT]
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