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The program, which grants tax credits to people who use private
dollars to fund scholarships that allow students to attend
private schools, is scheduled to sunset Dec. 31.
The Invest in Kids Act became law in 2017, when lawmakers met
during closed-door negotiations to overhaul how the state funded
public education and brought an end to a budget impasse. It was
agreed the program would sunset after five years unless
extended.
The
latest state budget, which included another raise for lawmakers
and taxpayer subsidies for noncitizen health care, did not
include an extension for the school choice scholarship program.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently said lawmakers could approve an
extension during a special session or during the fall veto
session, but that the tax credit portion of the program needs to
be reworked.
“I think we should have tax credits that support education and
other things in state government, but we also have the federal
government willing to cover about 40% of the cost,” Pritzker
said. “Why have we created a program in which we’re paying for
75% of it and not having the rest of the country essentially
paying 40%?”
Anthony Holter, president of nonprofit educational organization
Empower Illinois, said they are open to such an idea but only to
a certain extent.
“The concern comes with what would the overall reduction of the
state credit be,” Holter told The Center Square. “Do we want to
hold as much value for donors as we can in that tax credit and
federal deduction combination and incentivize the incredible
generous giving that so many donors have engaged in over the
past several years?”
Empower Illinois is part of a consortium that is conducting a
public service campaign called “Remove the Sunset” and are
calling on lawmakers to extend the Invest in Kids program.
Holter said he is hopeful lawmakers will take up and extend the
program later this year during the fall veto session.
“It really is the last opportunity to do what's right for kids,”
Holter said. “I'm optimistic that lawmakers will understand that
and do the right thing.”
Kevin Bessler reports on statewide issues in
Illinois for the Center Square. He has over 30 years of
experience in radio news reporting throughout the Midwest.
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