Aug 26, 2008 10:52 pm US/Central
Illinois Dems In Denver Discuss School Boycott
Sen. Meeks Hopes To Convene State Leaders To Talk About Legislative Plan
DENVER (CBS) ―
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Sen. James Meeks in Denver for the Democratic National Convention said he hopes to convene state leaders to discuss school funding while they are gathered there.
CBS
In addition to helping to unite their party, Illinois Democrats have another topic on their minds: school funding and the threat of a boycott on Sept. 2.
CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery in Denver reports there's talk of a compromise being brokered.
With probably close to a quorum of Illinois of both houses of the state general assembly the topic's getting plenty of discussion.
Sen. Rev. James Meeks, the man who orchestrated the boycott, and Gov. Rod Blagojevich met for about an hour last week to discuss possible solutions. The governor wants Meeks to end the talk of a boycott, even as Meeks wants to convene a meeting in Denver Wednesday of Blagojevich, Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President Emil Jones, Jr., to discuss legislative action later this year.
"I think Rev. Meeks needs to call that boycott off -- I think it's a big mistake to ask kids to miss school," Blagojevich said.
"He can't give me an ultimatum to call the boycott off," responded Meeks. "I can give him an ultimatum: keep the promise he made in 2006 and put the $10 billion in education -- we wouldn't even be discussing a boycott."
Meeks said he and Republican businessman Ron Gidwitz have offered a plan to focus on experimental school clusters costing $40 million a year for three years.
While saying he'd consider the plan, the governor added that public schools in Illinois have received billions of new tax dollars in recent years. He challenged Mayor Richard M. Daley to show taxpayers what, if anything, that money's done for the worst schools in Chicago.
"When will Mayor Daley step up and show us what they've done with that money? And, whether or not the schools have gotten better with all of that funding?" Blagojevich said.
It will be interesting to hear what Daley has to say. He will be at a breakfast of the Illinois delegation Wednesday morning, where the governor is going to speak.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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