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 The Illinois House is moving to pay the state's 44 regional
superintendents. In June, Gov. Pat Quinn stripped the $11 million
that was supposed to pay the regional superintendents from the state
budget. Quinn said he wants local taxpayers to pick up the tab,
through the personal property replacement tax fund, or PPRT fund.
Legislation in the House would shift the burden for the regional
superintendents and their offices from Illinois' main pot of money,
the general revenue fund, to the PPRT fund.
Corporations, trusts and public utilities pay into the PPRT fund to
make up for tax dollars that city and county governments would have
received at the local level.
State Rep. Frank Mautino, D-Spring Valley, said that in 2010, the
PPRT fund took in $1.4 billion. He wants to give the regional
superintendents a tiny portion of that.
"We're talking about one-tenth of 1 percent -- $14 million," said Mautino.
"It's awkward, if not embarrassing, that these people have not been
paid in months."
In addition to pay for the rest of the fiscal year, through the end
of June, the regional superintendents will receive back pay and
credit for their pensions. That accounts for the difference between
the $11 million that Quinn cut from the budget and the $14 million
lawmakers are seeking.
However, the legislation, which could be voted on as early as
Wednesday, may not end the battle over who should pay the
superintendents.
State Rep. Roger Eddy, R-Hutsonville, said Quinn is punching another
hole in the budget by taking PPRT dollars and giving them to the
regional superintendents.
"Now, to try to shift the costs from the state to local taxing
bodies ... without really taking a look at the structure and many of
the other issues related to the office, I think it's really
shortsighted," Eddy said.
Lawmakers may not be happy with using the PPRT fund, but they likely
will have no other choice.
The Illinois Municipal League, which lobbies for local governments
at the Statehouse, opposes any diversion of local PPRT fund dollars.
Joe McCoy, legislative director for the league, said schools receive
60 percent of the PPRT fund's billion-plus dollars each year,
leaving cities, counties and park districts to scramble for the
rest.
McCoy said it's not proper for "municipal money to be used for the
salaries of non-municipal officials as a result of the governor
electing not to cover the salaries with state money."
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Jackson-Perry County Regional Superintendent of Schools Donna Boros
said the superintendents are elected by local voters but are tasked
with enforcing dozens of state requirements, ranging from school bus
driver certification to approving new school buildings. She is quick
to say that no one else in the state has stepped forward to do the
work or cover the cost.
"It's my understanding that the State Board of Education has
commissioned a study of the work that we do and how much it would
cost in the fair market," Boros said. "So we're going to have to
look at those kind of issues."
Mary Fergus, a spokeswoman for the Illinois State Board of
Education, did not comment on the study.
John Meixner, regional superintendent of schools in Hancock County,
said his focus is on getting paid this month. He's not looking to
wade into constitutional questions.
"This is a policy issue between legislators and the governor's
office," Meixner said.
However, Kelly Kraft, Quinn's budget spokeswoman, said she considers
all questions about pay for the regional superintendents settled.
"PPRT is a done deal," said Kraft. "We view using local tax dollars
as the long-term solution for funding the regional superintendents."
Lawmakers are not so sure. Eddy said he expects push-back from local
governments, and he said little is final at the Statehouse.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By BENJAMIN YOUNT]
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