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Indications Point To Schools Transportation Funding Remaining In Tact; Still Several Hurdles Yet To Clear

Illinois lawmakers are trying to find $2.7-billion to cut from Medicaid to help save cuts in other areas. One of those areas is the transportation funding to schools in downstate Illinois.

No concrete decisions have been made as of right now, however, there are a lot of ideas being thrown around. Superintendent of Monticello schools, Dr. Vic Zimmerman explains one idea is to eliminate a mandate requiring school districts to provide transportation to students a mile and a half away from the school building with transportation. Dr. Zimmerman says districts could still provide transportation and he believes very few school districts would eliminate transportation for students.

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Lawmakers reaching the aforementioned $2.7-billion in Medicaid cuts will directly impact cuts to other areas in the state's budget. Illinois State Representative Chapin Rose explains cuts are already sitting at 5.7%, assuming lawmakers find $2.7-billion in Medicaid cuts. If they don't reach that figure, cuts will be higher. He says though, the committee in charge of school districts funding is seeking to leave the transportation funding alone for this year.

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Rose notes if the committee doesn't cut transportation funding as much as they did last year, the districts general state aid funding will be cut. But Rose says, that is a more fair cut because that will effect school districts all over the state, not just downstate schools. Rep. Rose also points out this has a long way to go, as it still must clear the Senate, and most importantly the Governor, who has already cut $80-million from transportation funding last year.

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Rep. Rose  says if cuts are to be made, the 5% base line on those cuts may not be 5% across the board. He says it could be more for some organizations and less for another.

Many school districts around the state are already having to dip into reserves to pay for maintenance or other things associated with transportation.

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