Chicago Adult Entertainment: The juice is running on Illinois’ debts to schools

Story URL: http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=158593
Story Retrieval Date: 2/27/2010 2:48:21 AM CST
The juice is running on Illinois’ debts to schools
Illinois schools could learn a thing or two from Al Capone—no, not about
bootlegging or prostitution—but how to get delinquent borrowers to pay
up. You know, bringing in the muscle.
The state currently owes school districts $800 million.  Back in
Scarface’s day, that would have amounted to a lot of broken thumbs and busted
kneecaps.
“Lawmakers determined they would use $922 million from federal stimulus
money to make payments on early childhood block grants and general state aid,”
said Matt Vanover, spokesman for the Illinois Board of Education. 
“However all other bills are being delayed because of a lack of funding.”
Those bills include payments for special education, transportation, meal
reimbursement and any type of grant program or funding other than general
aid.  General aid provides money to help meet
basic needs, such as food, clothing, housing and limited medical
assistance.  Payments for general aid come twice monthly and are mandatory.

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