Pilsen parents and residents pack Ald. Solis’ ward night demanding TIF dollars, but can’t find him Protesters want a part of the local TIF’s $11 million surplus to be used for local schools; Meeting scheduled for next Tuesday About 40 Pilsen parents and residents packed Ald. Danny Solis’s ward night Tuesday demanding that a part of the $11 million in the local Tax Increment Financing district be directed to neighborhood schools facing severe budget cuts. The alderman, however, was not in his office, nor was he available by phone. His staffers proposed to arrange a meeting for next Tuesday at 6 PM in his new Pilsen office. “I thought ward night was to meet the alderman, but Ald. Solis plays by his own rules,” said Vicky Lugo, a parent at Pilsen Community Academy. “Our community wants to be part of the decisions, not find out about them in the paper.” Protesters also demanded that the money be used for urgent capital improvements in a number of Pilsen schools. So far, Solis has refused to meet with residents to explain how he is helping local public schools in this crisis. Solis is the founder of UNO, one of Chicago’s biggest and most politically connected semi-private charter school networks. “The children in my school can’t even get a decent space to play, while our taxes sit on the TIF to then go to private corporations,” Lugo said. “That money belongs to our kids; giving it to wealthy businesses is just wrong.” The largest school closings in US history this year have been followed by budget cuts of up to 25 percent to individual schools. In Pilsen alone, Jungman Elementary lost a quarter of its budget, $535,000, resulting in class sizes going from 20 students to 30 students, administrators said. Pilsen Academy, Lugo’s school, lost $447,442. CPS has refused to provide a complete picture of the budget cuts, but organizations such as Raise Your Hand Illinois report at least $162 million in cuts to traditional schools Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago Board of Education he appoints argue the cuts are necessary due to a $1 billion budget deficit. However, the administration has refused look into alternatives to the cuts, such as a reported $1.6 billion in TIF surplus funds. At the same time, funding for charter schools such as UNO’s has increased by $85 million this year. “Ald. Solis closeness to the questioned UNO charters poses a serious conflict of interest when it comes to the crisis in public schools,” said Rosalie Mancera, Pilsen Alliance board member. “It is time the alderman starts representing his constituents instead of his own political interests and friends.” Pilsen Alliance is a grassroots community organization started in 1998 in Pilsen. Pilsen Alliance is a membership organization working on any issue of concern in the community. Most recently, the organization has helped put and en to coal pollution in Pilsen and keep all Pilsen schools safe from closure. # # #
Posted on: Thu, 05 Sep 2013 03:14:46 +0000
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