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HB 3793 Will Further Reduce Revenue, Harm Students 

Tell Lawmakers to Vote NO Today!

House Bill 3793 would have a far-reaching, negative and compounding impact upon already revenue-challenged school districts throughout Illinois. Contact your lawmakers now and urge them to vote NO on this harmful legislation.

The bill would further tie the hands of tax-capped (PTELL) communities in their abilities to increase local revenue for schools. Under HB 3793, those districts for which the total taxable Equalized Assessed Valuation (EAV) is less than the previous year would be restricted to a 0% increase in the district's extension, or the rate approved by voters. These tax-capped districts are already limited in their ability to increase local revenue by the amount of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or 5%, whichever is less.

Students and schools in most tax-capped communities are currently struggling from significant loss of revenue due to cuts in transportation, Title IV and V, General State Aid Hold Harmless provisions, delayed payments from the state and other reductions. If HB 3793 passes, some Illinois districts stand to lose as much as an additional $4 million or more. The impact would be devastating, likely resulting in more program cuts and layoffs statewide.

This bill could be voted upon as early as today in Springfield; it is urgent you contact your elected officials now. Simply enter your zip code to send this pre-written e-mail from the IFT Web site, then call 217/782-2000 and ask for your legislators. (If you are asked to specify the topic of your e-mail before submitting, enter "education.")

Tell your elected lawmakers to do the right thing for students and oppose HB 3793.

Position:  The Chicago Teachers Union opposes HB3793/SB2073 Amendment #4

HB 3793 requires that districts in PTELL (tax capped) communities for which the total taxable Equalized Assessed Valuation (EAV) is less than the previous year, the allowable increase in a district’s extension would be 0% or the rate approved by voters.  Currently, districts subject to PTELL are limited in their ability to increase local revenue – defined by CPI or 5%, whichever is less.  This proposal eliminates the authority of a local school board to increase local revenue by inflationary costs.

 

  • Each year’s levy is based upon the previous year’s levy; therefore reductions are permanent, continuous, and compounding.

 

  • The proposal eliminates a local school board’s authority to levy based on the needs of the community and student population.  School board members are elected to serve as fiscal stewards of our school districts and consider the impact of fiscal decisions on their community prior to adoption a levy.

 

  • A decrease in EAV can be caused or contributed to by many factors unrelated to declining home property values/assessments, including the county multiplier, a change in assessment factors, or large number of property tax appeals. 

 

  • One property owner’s lowered assessed valuation could cause the 0% extension limitation.

 

  • The proposal would override rates previously approved by voters.

 

  • Districts in tax-capped counties are already limited in their ability to access additional local revenue due to PTELL provisions.

 

  • Freezing local resources will increase the amount of general state aid for which districts are entitled.  This year the State Board of Education has indicated general state aid will be prorated, a result of inadequate state resources.

 

  • If HB3793 passes, it will cost CPS up to $144 million in yearly local revenue and force cuts to the classroom resulting in: Increased classroom size, cuts to vital safety and security programs like Safe Passage and Culture of Calm.

 

  • A roll back of recent investment in system wide All-Day Kindergarten.

 

 

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