With Payment To Teachers' Pension Fund Looming, Emanuel Calls On Springfield To Help
CHICAGO (CBS) -- With a major payment deadline just over a week away, Mayor Rahm Emanuel says Springfield has to help Chicago work out its public school budget problems, reports WBBM's Steve Miller.
Mayor Emanuel says we've gotten to "a breaking point that Springfield is on the hook like Chicago" for the payment to the teachers' pension fund and on the hook for an overall solution to a very large school budget problem.
"Because the state pays every other school district's pension for their teachers, those school districts receive about $2,100 per student in support. Given the support for Chicago, that comes to $157 a student. We pay $1,600 into a pension rather than into our students, our classrooms and our teachers and Springfield had to help."
Mayor Emanuel made his comments after breaking ground at 54th and State for a new tennis facility aimed at serving young people.