Prairie State Wire

Former Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner was back in Springfield on Monday for the unveiling of his portrait.

“I am very proud of what we did while we led the state and I’m very proud of what we tried to do while we were in the state. A lot of headwinds,” Rauner said, according to The Center Square. 

“But I’ll leave it there today. We can go deeper into that in September.”

Rauner discussed the Invest In Kids Tax Scholarship Program, which was created by his administration. He said the program is needed, particularly in communities with failing schools.

“In too many communities, the parents do not have an adequate school and they should be empowered to choose a school that fits their child. I believe that very passionately and I’ve devoted a lot of my life to that,” Rauner said. 

Invest In Kids was left out of the 2024 budget, putting the enrollment of over 9,000 low-income children in private schools in jeopardy.

“It’s a huge step back for empowering parents in the state of Illinois to lose that program,” Rauner added.

Rauner, who faced a turbulent tenure marked by a lengthy budget impasse, declined to delve into political matters during the event and said that he would address them later in the year. 

When asked about Democrats highlighting credit rating upgrades since he left office, Rauner jokingly attributed it to tax hikes and federal bailouts, referencing the actions of his successor, Gov. J.B. Pritzker. 

Rauner's tenure as governor spanned from 2015 to 2019, and he lost his bid for reelection to Pritzker in 2018.

The Invest In Kids Tax Scholarship Program, which currently supports approximately 9,000 children attending private schools, is scheduled to sunset on Dec. 31 unless extended by the General Assembly. 

 The Chicago Teachers Union and other teacher unions oppose the scholarship program, arguing that it diverts funding from public schools.

Mayor Brandon Johnson, a former organizer for the Chicago Teachers Union, has advocated for letting the program expire. 

The Invest in Kids Tax Credit Scholarship program provides scholarships to low-income students, allowing them to attend private schools that supporters say better suit their needs. The scholarships are funded by donors who receive an income tax credit equal to 75% of their donation. Since its inception in 2018, the program has awarded over 37,000 grants worth $280 million. 

Supporters argue that the scholarships alleviate overcrowding in public schools and help save government funds since the scholarships reduce the need to educate students for whom tax revenue is still being provided. Despite the program's relatively small budget allocation of $75 million, Pritzker has pulled support for Invest in Kids, citing increased public school funding.

The $50.4 billion state budget passed without Republican support and garnered opposition from three Democratic legislators in a 73-38 vote. The Senate vote on the budget was 34-22. The budget allocated substantial funding for education, an aspect that Pritzker and House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Westchester) praised after its passage. 

Critics, including the Illinois Policy organization, pointed out that the budget created an immediate $317 million deficit and falls short of fully funding public pensions by $4 billion, according to DuPage Policy Journal. The organization criticized the state's budgeting process and the growing pension debt, which is estimated at $140 billion, and potentially even higher according to independent estimates. The budget also included $50 million for the replacement of the Stratton Building, which houses legislator offices and committee meetings.