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Rauner Defends Amendatory Veto For School Funding Plan; Chicago Mayor Fires Back

State of Illinois

Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner Tuesday vetoed significant portions of legislation that would overhaul the way Illinois funds public schools.  

Much of the legislation has bipartisan support, but the governor took issue with Democratic provisions meant to help Chicago Public Schools.

"This isn't a bailout, this is wonderful for everybody, this... No, that is false! The numbers that I've put out and the numbers that I'm traveling the state every day is the truth," Rauner said. 

The fact-checking group Politifact Illinois today said Rauner’s assessment is “false."

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is blasting Gov. Bruce Rauner's rewrite of the school funding proposal. In a statement, Emanuel says the Republican governor has ignored "the needs of Illinois's school children" and that the plan only advances Rauner's "own personal brand of cynical politics."

Accepting or rejecting Rauner’s vetoes would require a super-majority vote — meaning Democrats and at least some Republicans will have to agree.

Lawmakers have about two weeks to act, but schools are getting impatient. They can't get state funds without some version of this legislation, and they're expecting their first payment on Aug. 10.?

  • Illinois Public Radio's Dusty Rhodes and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 
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