New Album 5/13/09 2:13 PM

By any reasonable standard, our Faith in Action Day in Springfield on Tuesday was a great success. Over 100 individuals traveled from all sections of the state to press for education funding reform. We delivered petitions to the governor and legislative leaders signed by close to 700 faith leaders and congregation members from over 80% of the 118 representative districts in Illinois.

We should be proud of what we accomplished, and we should continue to fight for education funding until the right bill passes. Adequate funding for the education of our children is critical. Our state is providing only 28% of the cost of education. We are 49th in the country in the share that the state provides per child. This must change.

I have only one regret about what was truly a wonderful day. PCG did not use the opportunity to ask you to raise your voices not only about education funding, but also — simultaneously — for political reform.

The truth is that the two — education funding reform and political reform — are closely linked. The role of money in politics chokes consideration of progressive change in our state legislature, including adequate funding for the education of our children. It also blocks the ability of our state to provide basic services.

It is no accident, in other words, that Illinois has an $11 billion budget gap, is shortchanging its children, cannot pay its bills, and has become the political laughing stock of the nation.

Talking with House minority leader Tom Cross on Tuesday made this clear. “Right now,” he said, “Government is more about business than public service. This creates a climate. Nobody expects very much from government. Everybody is suspicious.”

PCG has been working hard with CHANGE Illinois, a broad based civic group fighting for individual limits on campaign contributions as the most important first step toward political reform. Editorial boards and columnists throughout Illinois, even the conservative Chicago Tribune, have taken up the cause. Legislators are beginning to get the message. There is a loose consensus that reform to some degree will pass in this session.

Again, Rep. Cross said something significant: “If we had a chance to vote on it (contribution limits), it would pass.”

That’s exactly the problem. As long as legislative leaders rely on controlling their members through contributions to their campaigns (or their opponents, should incumbents disobey) a vote on reform measures may not happen in any way the public can see. Instead, leadership may create a murky omnibus bill that includes pieces of reform, but nothing that adds up to very much.

What can we do? Insist that the key proposals for political reform, especially contribution limits, be voted upon as separate and discrete measures. That way, our representatives will be accountable. The political reforms that emerge may even make it possible to achieve the education funding goals that took us to Springfield in the first place.

Let us continue to press for education funding reform. And be assured that it is not too late to call your legislators at 1–800–719–3020, about the need for political reform as well.

Thank you for your presence in Springfield on Tuesday!