Gov. Rauner's 16 month trek up Brownback Mountain

Gov. Bruce Rauner has a political hero...and it's not Abe Lincoln. No, Gov. Bruce looks west to Kansas, whose finances and school systems have been ruined by Gov. Sam Brownback's $1.1 billion in tax cuts for the rich, enacted in his first term on the promise that the greedy rich would 'trickle down' some of their newly found largess to help less fortunate Kansans. Instead Kansas finances imploded with per pupil spending crashing down 'Brownback Mountain' to $3,800 per pupil from an adequate $4,400. Classes have been cut; staff riffed and school days cancelled. The implosion has mostly hurt the poorest and most vulnerable districts while affluent districts continue to thrive. The Kansas Supreme Court pushed back, saying Brownback violates state Constitutional provisions to "provide fair and adequate support for ALL school districts". The Court imposed a July 1 shutdown to enforce their fairness edict. Instead of complying, Brownback and his Republican legislature are despicably threatening to cut off funding for the Court and working to replace the offending justices. The Court is holding fast as Brownback pushes Kansas students to the brink.

Illinois' Gov. Rauner sure must envy, not only Brownback's heartlessness, but his legislative muscle that Illinois Democrats will not supply. Illinois students are not suffering as much as their compatriots in Kansas only because Speaker Madigan and his minions have their back. It's gonna take awhile but come November, 2018, Illinoisans can finally say, "We're not in Kansas, anymore."