Writer should do more homework

After reading Chris Jenner's letter on the Opinion page in the July 9 issue I was scratching my head. Simply saying that our state general assembly is "beholden" to the Illinois Education Association is certainly not true.

It is your opinion, not fact. Where is the proof, Mr. Jenner? Also, I noted that the figure of 250 Illinois school districts is really an estimate and not an actual number. Further, he claims, "that sold over 3 billion of school construction bonds with out voter approval."

Only creating estimates, sir, indicates your lack of real research. Referring to a conspiracy of a consortium of allied "associations" is simply untrue. Where did you get that The Illinois Energy Consortium, a supposed creation of public schools associations, he states "does not include bidding on contracts for building public schools?" This has to be absurd. Citing two school districts out of more than 936 in Illinois is hardly a universe to create a legitimate case.

Revenue bond issues are perfectly legal in our state and school boards have used them especially when there is an real need. Cheaper interest rated general obligation bonds voted down by an often uninformed public creates an extreme need action by a school board.

Voting "no" on a school referendum when the actual tax dollar amount/rate is often more than not a very small increase on their real estate tax bill. This is foolish thinking. The public is the loser when having to pay for a higher interest rate revenue bond issue.

New York State has a 10.15 percent income tax. California's rate is 9.0 percent. Illinois rate is 3 percent and has been so since the 1960s. A mere 2 percent added would fix our state deficit and give property tax owners a 50-percent relief deduction. Republicans are also responsible for seriously underfunding education. So much so that Illinois ranks for quite sometime now 49th out of 50 states in educational funding. Shameful!

M. Barry Birchfield

Elgin