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Rauner: School Funding Veto 'Fair and Equitable'

Bruce Rauner speaks at event
G-Jun Yam
/
The Associated Press
Gov. Bruce Rauner issued his amendatory veto on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017.

Gov. Bruce Rauner said Tuesday the way public schools get money in Illinois will be more "fair and equitable" with his changes to a school funding bill.

The Republican on Tuesday removed help for Chicago Public Schools' pensions along with money the district formerly received in the form of a block grant, and other changes.

“It doesn’t matter where you come from or who your family is. With a great education, you can go anywhere in life and be whomever you want to be. You can grow up, get a good job and provide for your family. That’s why the changes I have made to the education funding bill are so important,” Rauner said in a statement. “With my changes, our state ensures that enough resources flow to children in the poorest and most disadvantaged school districts across the entire state. And my changes ensure that the education funding system in our state is fair and equitable to all students in Illinois.”

The bill now returns to the Legislature, where three-fifths of lawmakers in both chambers must either approve or override Rauner's changes.

Both options will be difficult. If neither chamber can muster the votes, the legislation dies.

Ahead Rauner's Capitol news conference Tuesday, Democrats backing the measure called for Rauner to sign it, instead of rewriting it. State Sen. Andy Manar, a Bunker Hill Democrat, says a veto of the bill sets the state "back decades."

Both parties agree the 20-year-old formula Illinois uses to fund schools is unfair, but they disagree over how to change it.

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