Some Dems Pulling Alarms Over Spending Pressures
Rep. Fred Crespo (D-Hoffman Estates) at a legislative hearing in 2020. (Photo: Chicago Tribune)
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A suburban House Democrat chided members of his own party Tuesday for passing bills that likely won’t get any funding in the upcoming budget, making “empty promises” to taxpayers.
Rep. Fred Crespo (D-Hoffman Estates) laid out his annoyance over a bill that would give a stipend to student teachers, who often go unpaid during a 16-week placement in a school setting before they graduate and get a teachers license.
The bill was sponsored by Rep. Barbara Hernandez (D-Aurora) who admitted the $68 million price tag was “subject to appropriations,” and there likely wouldn’t be any money for the program inserted in the upcoming state budget.
“I get the sense that we think that’s like “Monopoly” money,” Crespo said. “You’re creating a line item and you’re putting pressure on the budget. It’s an empty promise and it gives people a false sense of hope.”
Crespo pointed out a free meals in schools bill that passed last year was pegged at a $200 million cost but didn’t get funded on top of another $68 million for the teaching stipend bill.
“You can’t have it all. You can ask, but taxpayers can’t afford it,” Crespo said. “If we keep this up, at some point you’re going to run out of taxpayer dollars to spend.”
Another Democrat we spoke to on the condition of anonymity Tuesday evening said Democrats are causing themselves problems by adding to spending demands.
“Recruiting teachers is going to look good on a mailer, but then we get opened up for attack when we can’t fund it,” the lawmaker said. “It all feels very short sighted.”
Crespo ended up voting for the measure along with all House Democrats as well as 14 House Republicans.
