1997 Coalition Summit
The Year For Change:
 School Funding & Tax Reform

Sponsored by Governors State University, the South Metropolitan Regional Leadership Center, and the Metropolitan Planning Council on January 31, 1997

Additional information about Illinois Education Funding Reform, including materials distributed at the Summit and opportunities for online discussion and collaboration, can be found at:


Rep. Phil Novak announces a special meeting of the House called by Speaker Michael Madigan for February 19th to address education funding reform.

On Friday, January 31, 1997 at Governors State University, more than 100 community, school, and business leaders including nine legislators gathered to reach consensus around key principles for action on school funding and tax reform for the legislature to address this spring.

Illinois legislators participating in the Summit were Representatives Maggie Crotty - 35th (D), Arline Fantin - 29th (D), Michael Giglio - 79th (D), Renee Kosel - 38th (R), John McGuire - 86th (D), Harold Murphy - 30th (D), John "Phil" Novak - 85th (D), George Scully - 80th (D), and Senator Debbie Halvorson - 40th (D).

High School Senior Josh Grenard addresses the Summit on behalf of Illinois children.
 		As she welcomed participants and opened the Summit, GSU President Paula Wolff defined this as the time for action. Keynote speaker Josh Grenard, a high school senior interested in education funding, agreed. "All kids in Illinois will suffer and be at a competitive disadvantage if action is not taken now," he said.

Representative John "Phil" Novak (D-Kankakee) used the Summit as the occasion to announce a special meeting of the House of Representatives to address education funding reform. The meeting, which has been initiated by Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, will be held in mid-February. "I think [this] is an indication that the speaker is interested in moving this issue to full debate and coming up with a plan that we can live with...that the taxpayers can live with," Novak said.

GSU President Paula Wolff (right) with Senator Debbie Halvorson (40th-D) during the Summit.
 		During the morning session, participants heard from four panelists who outlined specific funding and quality proposals currently under consideration. Panelists included Dr. James Cunneen, Superintendent of Dolton School District #149; James Lewis, Vice President of Research & Planning, Chicago Urban League; Greg Carney, Assistant Director of Local Governments, Illinois Farm Bureau; and MarySue Barrett, President, Metropolitan Planning Council.

Attendees representing a cross section of parents, educators, lawmakers, business people, and members of civic organizations broke into four working groups and reached consensus on the following guiding principles for legislative action:

        • Define a minimum amount of revenue for every child in Illinois. That minimum should be insured by the state and adjusted periodically.

        • Promote property tax relief distributed equitably.

        • Determine that the primary source of new revenue for education should be a state-wide income tax increase.

        • Establish clear performance goals at the state level, with flexibility for achievement preserved at the local level.

        • Encourage innovation and experimentation without depleting resources.

        • Establish a state capital plan for physical soundness of school buildings in Illinois.

        • Consolidate and streamline to capture administrative and economic efficiencies.

        • Preserve local control at schools.

        "This is the year." That was the overriding consensus of all participants in the Summit. Substantive change in education funding and tax reform must be achieved through the Illinois General Assembly in 1997. To that end, a single proposal must be made, and will most likely be made as a result of coalition efforts such as the Summit.