Dupage Policy Journal

State Rep. Deb Conroy (D-Villa Park) voted to support a failed state taxpayer bailout of the Chicago Public Schools (CPS).

Conroy voted for the CPS bailout as part of a $40 billion state budget offered by House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago). The budget, which passed 63-53 with nearly unanimous support from Chicago Democrats, proposed a $7 billion deficit, to be financed with personal income tax hikes and more state borrowing. The measure failed in the Senate.

Conroy, whose 46th House district includes parts of Carol Stream, Glendale Heights, Villa Park, Bloomingdale, and Lombard, was the only DuPage County member to vote for the budget.

Reps. Patti Bellock (R-Westmont), Peter Breen (R-Lombard), Mike Fortner (R-West Chicago), Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) and Jim Durkin (R-Burr Ridge) all voted "no."

“The majority party has a history of reckless spending with no regard for how it impacts the citizens whose taxes fund our government,” Ives said. “They have not earned the right to even one more cent of the public’s money.”

In 2015, CPS spent more per-pupil than 28 of DuPage County’s 43 school districts. At $7,651 in non-local subsidy, it received considerably more from state taxpayers than all 43 of them.

The CPS bailout will increase non-local taxpayers’ subsidy to Chicago by approximately $1,000 per student, to nearly $9,000. Chicago property taxpayers pay for 49 percent of CPS spending -- state and federal taxpayers pick up the rest.

In contrast, Marquardt District 15 and Queen Bee District 15 in Glendale Heights only received $2,974 and $2,766 per pupil from state and federal taxpayers. Local sources account for 79 percent and 76 percent of their funding, respectively. Both districts spend less per-pupil than Chicago.

Glenbard Township District 87 spends about the same as Chicago ($15,414). But it received $5,000 per student less -- just $1,665. Local property taxes pay for 89 percent of District 87 funding.

DuPage County School Spending vs. Chicago