Despite a frigid reception from state lawmakers to the idea, Gov. Pat Quinn on Thursday launched the public marketing effort to win support for a 33 percent income tax hike to support education.
Standing amid a couple of dozen students at Jefferson middle school in Springfield, Quinn reiterated that elementary and secondary education faces stiff state budget cuts if lawmakers don't approve more money for it.
"We're talking about 17,000 teachers in Illinois losing their jobs," Quinn said.
"You have to understand reality. We are now without $1 billion that we counted on this year. We have to make it up."
Illinois avoided steep cuts to education this year only because nearly $1 billion in federal stimulus poured into the state for education.
That money is now gone.
"There's no scaring involved," Quinn said, a reference to House Minority Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego.
Cross accused Quinn of engaging in scare tactics with education cuts to promote the tax hike.
Springfield school Superintendent Walter Milton said the district is still grappling with the effect the state's budget problems will have on local schools.
"What we are looking at potentially at this juncture is not to lay off (teachers) but possibly not hire as many teachers as we have in the past," said Milton who attended Quinn's appearance.
For more on this story, pick up a print copy of Friday's Daily American.
