After seven months without funding ... the Illinois legislature Thursday passed a proposal to pay for tuition waivers for low-income college students. It would also send money to community colleges. But, the political wrangling over this issue isn't finished.
Just because the General Assembly passed funding for the Monetary Award Program, or MAP grants, doesn't mean the money will show up soon.
Democrats and Republicans agree the state should help low-income college students, but disagree on how. Republicans like House Minority Leader Jim Durkin say the state's continuing budget impasse means there's no money to pay them.
"This is a cruel hoax to students who think they're going to get their MAP funding provided and also the community colleges."
But, Democrats say it's just a matter of priorities, and the first step in fully funding higher education.
State Rep. John Bradley (D-Marion) spoke in favor of the measure, using John A. Logan College in Carterville as an example of how hard these institutions have been hit with state funding losses in recent years.
"In FY-10, John A. Logan College employed 803 employees. In FY-16, they are down to 669 employees. And, in FY-17, without action on our part, may be as low as 600."
Public universities have also gone months without state funding, but there's no money for them in this legislation.
That's not likely to make a difference... Governor Bruce Rauner has already said he will veto this bill.
