Rauner vetoes funding for MAP grants, community colleges

Rep. Jim Durkin was in Southern Illinois to show his support for Rep. Terri Bryant’s bill that would create “Molly’s Law,” following the controversial investigation into the 2012 death of Molly Young in Carbondale.

The Governor said, in regards to his veto, that approving the plan would “explode the state’s budget deficit”.

In all, Senate Bill 2043 aimed to appropriate about $721 million, including about $397 million for individual student awards (MAP grants) paid to colleges and universities, as well as roughly $274.5 million to bolster community college operations.

Rauner, R-Winnetka, said lawmakers were effectively trying to write a check they know state can’t cover.

SPRINGFIELD – To many in the General Assembly’s Democratic majority, what Republican Gov. Br…

Glassman said he believes there will be a bill passed to support funding for the grants and higher education, and lawmakers are working on developing new bills that will enact funding for higher education and MAP awards. In a statement, he said, “This approach…is not a flawless solution. I don’t understand how he can propose student financial aid on Wednesday, and then turn around and veto it on Friday”.

The message was not a whole lot different than that of Rauner’s first Budget Address, delivered on February 18, 2015, in which he introduced his Turnaround Agenda.

Western Illinois University president Jack Thomas said after the presentation that the university has used $11 million of its reserves to fund MAP grants for students during the fall and spring semesters.

Certain social services, as well as higher education, are taking the brunt of the impasse.

Senate President John Cullerton said he’ll discuss what the next steps should be with other Democrats.

Earlier this week, Rauner’s budget address drew students from colleges across the state, including Chicago State University, a school in danger of closing.