Local Debate Touches on Education
PEORIA ― On Jan. 23, while in Peoria for a televised debate, the four primary Republican candidates for governor of Illinois discussed numerous topics, some of which are relevant to both Illinois Central College and its students.
When the four candidates came to Peoria’s WTVP public television station, they weren’t planning to focus on education, but the conversations of that night couldn’t avoid the subject either.
The four Republican gubernatorial candidates were State Senator Bill Brady (Bloomington), State Senator Kirk Dillard (Chicago area), State Treasurer Dan Rutherford (Chenoa) and wealthy Illinois businessman Bruce Rauner (Chicago area). They were questioned at the debate by a panel of four, one of which was a student journalist from the University of Illinois Springfield.
In his opening statement, Rutherford compared himself in college to the college students of today, and acknowledged the financial challenges they face.
“I was able to do it without any student loans. A kid can’t do that today anymore,” said Rutherford. “You can’t go to a university and work making pizzas and shoveling asphalt… and be able to afford to go to school without a student loan.”
Rauner also touched on education in his opening statement saying that he wants to ensure that “education and job training is world class in Illinois.”
When responding to a question about reducing government spending, Brady listed eliminating the State Board of Education as one of his three priorities.
“Partly because it saves money,” said Brady, “but mostly because it will end the bureaucratic red tape that harms our childrens educational opportunities every day.”
When the student panelist asked a question relating to educational funding in Illinois, these are, in part, the responses of the candidates.
Rauner said that we should look how other states fund education and “steal” their best ideas.
“Education should be the top priority when we spend taxpayer dollars,” said Rauner, “… That’s our future, that’s our competitiveness, that’s our income level for our young people and that’s how we really raise wages, through educational and vocational training.”
Rutherford said that he would give the local school districts the options to create their own funding plans, including the optional collection of funds through local sales taxes rather than the traditional real estate taxes.
Brady stated that Chicago had “played games with our funding.” He called for the fair distribution of funds among the state’s schools. He once again called for the elimination of the State Board of Education. He also said that he felt there would never be “enough money for funding education until we rebuild Illinois’ economy.“
Dillard said that he felt Illinois has been prioritizing welfare over education.
“The foundation level of school funding in this state is way, way below what a panel recommends it needs to be,” said Dillard. “… and the best way to close that gap between the haves and the have nots is to have the state do its share on education.”
After the debate, the Harbinger asked Rutherford, as State Treasurer, how he thought community colleges, like ICC, could get more financial support from the State of Illinois, which is almost always behind on funding. He said that correcting those issues and others will require adjustments to areas like Medicaid and taxes.
“It’s going to be about cash flow,” said Rutherford, “… It’s going to take a comprehensive package to put it together.”
Several students from Bradley University’s College Republicans were in the studio audience, and their opinions were asked for immediately following the debate.
Regarding Brady’s calls for the elimination of the State Board of Education, Beth Knapinski, 19, of Peoria, said, “I think any time you can make state government more efficient and more effective, you should definitely look at all the options to do that. I am open to it.”
“Coming into the evening, I had two candidates I wasn’t too fond of,” said Jason Blumenthal, 19, of Peoria, “and after tonight it really solidifies who I am actually going to be voting for.”