Chicago's powerful teachers' union donated to 29 state representatives and senators in 2015.
Will those lawmakers support the union's call to shift school money to Chicago -- away from local districts that already receive and spend far less?
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If the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) is going to achieve its goal of $1.6 billion more in spending by Chicago Public Schools (CPS), it will need more than just another large property tax hike on Chicago homeowners.
It will require more money from non-Chicago taxpayers -- living in the Chicago suburbs and downstate -- and more support from their non-Chicago representatives in Springfield.
Increasing state spending to the CPS means decreasing it to suburban and downstate districts, the overwhelming majority of whom already receive a lower state subsidy than Chicago.
Are there suburban or downstate legislators who might back a Chicago schools bailout, costing their own schools in the process?
An East Central Reporter analysis of Chicago Teachers Union Political Action Committee (CTU PAC) campaign finance reports found that in 2015, it made $28,500 in donations to 29 state legislators whose districts don’t include any Chicagoans.
All 29 legislators receiving CTU PAC donations were Democrats; 19 represent the Chicago suburbs and 10 downstate.
CTU has seen state funding to Chicago Public Schools grow significantly over the past decade -- from $1.4 billion in 2005 to $1.8 billion in 2014, an increase of 29 percent.
The rich get richer?
Chicago schools already receive more money from state and federal taxpayers than every school district in Coles, Edgar, Clark, Crawford and Shelby counties.
| School District | Non-Local Funding (Per Pupil) |
| Chicago Public Schools | $7,515 |
| Danville 118 | $7,319 |
| Paris-Union 95 | $7,049 |
| Rantoul 137 | $6,926 |
| Martinsville CUSD 1 | $6,794 |
| Hoopeston 11 | $6,647 |
| Westville 2 | $6,257 |
| Cowden-Herrick CUSD 3A | $6,151 |
| Georgetown-Ridge Farm 4 | $6,128 |
| Thomasboro 130 | $5,936 |
| Potomac 10 | $5,517 |
| Windsor CUSD 1 | $5,420 |
| Robinson CUSD 2 | $5,411 |
| Casey-Westfield CUSD 4C | $5,407 |
| Oblong CUSD 4 | $5,156 |
| Armstrong-Ellis 61 | $5,104 |
| Palestine CUSD 3 | $4,954 |
| Rantoul Township 193 | $4,916 |
| Stewardson-Strasburg CUD 5A | $4,800 |
| Oakwood 76 | $4,799 |
| Mattoon CUSD 2 | $4,797 |
| Marshall CUSD 2C | $4,768 |
| Kansas CUSD 3 | $4,694 |
| Sullivan 300 | $4,480 |
| Rossville-Alvin 7 | $4,387 |
| Oakland CUSD 5 | $4,309 |
| Villa Grove 302 | $4,226 |
| Caitlin 5 | $4,218 |
| Bismarck Henning | $4,200 |
| Paris CUSD 4 | $4,142 |
| Shelbyville CUSD 4 | $4,130 |
| Central A & M CUD 21 | $4,124 |
| Charleston CUSD 1 | $3,972 |
| Urbana 116 | $3,946 |
| Paxton-Buckley-Loda 10 | $3,898 |
| Jamaica 12 | $3,817 |
| Ludlow 142 | $3,685 |
| Tolono 7 | $3,543 |
| Edgar County CUD 6 | $3,540 |
| Mahomet-Seymour 3 | $3,532 |
| Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley 5 | $3,470 |
| Arcola 306 | $3,388 |
| St. Joseph 169 | $3,386 |
| Arthur 305 | $3,322 |
| Okaw Valley 302 | $3,244 |
| Cerro Gordo 100 | $3,073 |
| Armstrong Township 225 | $2,934 |
| Homer Heritage 8 | $2,875 |
| Shiloh CUSD 1 | $2,836 |
| Bement 5 | $2,665 |
| Champaign 4 | $2,503 |
| Gifford 188 | $2,502 |
| Fisher 1 | $2,316 |
| Robinson CUSD 2 | $2,302 |
| St. Joseph-Ogden 305 | $2,223 |
| Hutsonville CUSD 1 | $2,192 |
| Deland-Weldon 57 | $1,916 |
| Prairieview-Ogden 197 | $1,675 |
| Tuscola 301 | $1,570 |
| Monticello 25 | $938 |
Chicago Teachers Union Pets
Chicago’s share of state school spending has soared over the past decade. Which East Central Illinois legislators received donations from CTU during that period?
| Rep. Carol Ammons | (D-Urbana) | $14,800 |
| Rep. Roger Eddy | (D-Hutsonville) | $9,950 |
| Sen. Michael Frerichs | (D-Urbana) | $14,750 |
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