Meeks misses point on school funding
I had a chance to listen to the Rev. James Meeks on the John Williams radio program for a few minutes recently. Meeks is also an Illinois senator from Chicago - not sure which title holds the most esteem.
Rev. Meeks offered he's been working on securing extra funding for Chicago schools and has introduced a new piece of legislation each year. However, they all fail. I wonder if other legislators in Springfield have noticed that Illinois has a $90 billion debt from spending more than was available from our overworked, overtaxed citizens.
Rev. Meeks orchestrated a move to bus inner city youngsters north to register in districts that have more school funding available from real estate taxes in those districts. This was a move to bring additional attention to his efforts. Even if there was room, busing youngsters that distance would be cost prohibitive.
A letter from a DeKalb resident appeared in one of our local papers on the same subject but with a different approach. The author is asking for support for Senate Bill 2288. "This bill is designed to move away from the over-reliance on the local property tax system to fund public education."
The bill "SB 2288" calls for a modest increase in the income tax to carry the burden for education. Instead of paying 3 percent, we'd pay 5. Excuse me, but that is not modest. It looks more like a 67 percent increase in our state income tax.
Whatever the amount, this would be like dumping the funds in a hole for all the good it would do.
Remember in April when in one weekend there were 36 shootings in Chicago?
Rev. Meeks, et al: No amount of funding is going to improve the learning atmosphere in the inner city until the children no longer have to dodge bullets while on their way to and from school! When are you going to lay the blame where it should be? The parents! Stop them from shooting at their neighbors.
Why, with all your years, can you not see that it is not someone else's fault that inner city children have learning problems?
Ron Petrucci
St. Charles