Governor Pat Quinn's proposed budget could mean good things for education, even as massive cuts in other areas have community leaders and lawmakers scrambling for compromise.Included in the budget plan is $50 million more for MAP Grants and $20 million more for early childhood programs. Overall, the governor's education budget is flat for Fiscal Year 2013. Another potential bright spot is that the governor wants to pass the remaining portion of last year's Capital Bill to help fund further construction and maintenance. SIU President Glenn Poshard says that could be a big boost for both the Carbondale and Edwardsville campuses. Poshard acknowledges this is only the starting point for the 2013 budget, but he says he's hopeful education will be helped.
On the issues of university pensions, Poshard says he's confident that a compromise can be found. Poshard says proposals have been floated in recent years that would push the responsibility of paying pensions costs on to school districts, community colleges and universities. He says that plan could spell trouble for institutions like SIU. Poshard says university leaders from all over the state have been working with the U of I's Institute for Government and Public Affairs on a hybrid proposal for consideration. Poshard says there are major questions to be answered when it comes to the constitutionality of any changes, as well as making sure the burden isn't shifted in such a way that employees have to pay more than they can afford.
The 2013 fiscal year begins July 1, and Gov. Quinn has told lawmakers to expect to stay in Springfield until they get pensions, Medicaid and other issues resolved.
