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Rural schools prepare for fewer state education dollars
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SPRINGFIELD — The notion of Illinois school districts shouldering more of the costs of teacher pensions has small town administrators preparing for deep cuts. But the lack of legislative action is making those preparations tough. "We are all in waiting game right now," Jonathan Green, superintendent for Pinckneyville Community High School, said. In his plan to overhaul the state's public pension system, Gov. Pat Quinn said he wants school districts to pay more toward their employees' pensions. Right now teachers pay about 9.4 percent of their salaries into the Teachers Retirement System, which the state matches. School districts, which set pay and benefits for teachers, pay in less than 1 percent. Quinn spokeswoman Brooke Anderson said the governor wants school districts to have a stake in the contracts they negotiate. Quinn's proposal came ahead of a $5.2 billion public pension payment next year, which is about $1 billion higher than this year's payment. For the upcoming pension payment, three-fourths would go toward downstate and suburban teachers, as well as community college and university employees, Anderson said. At this time, the legislature has not drafted a proposal shifting the costs to local districts. "It's all uncertainty as we plan for next year, of what will happen with pensions," said Cliff McClure, superintendent for Paxton-Buckley-Loda Community Unit School District 10. "I heard it might be 3 percent, it might be 7.65 (percent) and it might come in at 1 percent each year." Districts could increase property taxes. But small town administrators said raising taxes isn't always an option in rural districts. "If you have a bigger tax base, you're bringing in more money and you may be able to cover it," said Green. "If we were a growing community, with a growing business tax base, it would be different." Without tax increases, school administrators said they'll have to make cuts in the classroom. Years of underfunding, a recession and pension sweeteners such as cost-of-living increases have caused the state's unfunded pension liability to jump to $83 billion. The Teachers Retirement System is responsible for $44 billion of that. "The state has used the pension monies for years without making their required payments and, as a result, we the educators and school districts that actually have done our parts get blamed and end up on the receiving end of drastic changes," said Kristin School, superintendent of Mendota Elementary School District 289. For Mendota, the cost shift would require finding an extra $144,000. The district already is operating a budget deficit and is owed nearly $300,000 by the state for overdue bills. So far, Mendota schools have limited the working hours of teacher aides and custodians and had current teachers take over classes and duties handled by educators who leave or retire. At risk next are bus rides for sport teams and preschool education. Green and McClure also said time frames outlined in state law don't help during tough financial times. District administrators must notify teachers of re-employment 45 days before the end of the school year. If a district is operating in the red, cuts will have to be made before administrators know what they will receive in state aid for the upcoming school year. "It's an evil stew so to speak," Green said. "You have all these type of things that go into the stew from late state payments, cuts in transportation and now possibly pensions. You put all the parts in, make necessary changes to the recipe, and hope it tastes good locally." 
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Today is Saturday, May 25, the 145th day of 2013. There are 220 days left in the year.
1863 -- 150 years ago: The annual review of the fire department of this city took placeyesterday and made a fine showing with machines and hose carts in tip-top order.
1888 -- 125 years ago: Last night's prayer meeting at Central Presbyterian Church wascalled off due to water in the basement, residue of last week's flood.
1913 -- 100 years ago: The junior class of Rock Island High School will hold a riverexcursion on the steamer St. Paul next Tuesday.
1938 -- 75 years ago: The 75th Anniversary of the Rock Island Arsenal today finds thenation's largest ordinance manufacturing plant filling many important orders for the army.
1963 -- 50 years ago: Miss Patrice Daly, Rock Island, a senior at Rock Island HighSchool, won second place in the recent state public speaking contest held in Peoria underthe auspices of the Knights of Pythias.
1988 -- 25 years ago: Hampton's sesquicentennial committee and the Hampton HistoricalSociety have scheduled a full slate of activities, which will be held throughout the year, to celebrate the village's 150th birthday. The first celebration will be the Memorial Dayprogram at 10 a.m. May 30, at the Brettun and Black Store Museum on River Road. Therewill be a sesquicentennial display.
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