During a visit to the Eastern Illinois University campus Tuesday...State Representative Reggie Phillips of Charleston advocated for legislation that would provide emergency funding to state universities and community colleges for the current fiscal year.
The Republican Phillips says he has signed on as a co-sponsor of House Bill 64-09 ... filed by Democrat Ken Dunkin of Chicago.
"It funds $160 million of emergency funding to colleges, such as Chicago State and Eastern Illinois University. I signed on it as a Republican; it has a funding mechanism to it called Senate Bill 30-44. You'll hear more about that."
Senate Bill 30-44 was filed last week by Republican Matt Murphy ... and would eliminate the requirement that funds transferred from one state fund to another during fiscal year 2015 be repaid within 18 months.
The House bill would also provide 40-million dollars in funding to Illinois community colleges for the current fiscal year.
During Tuesday's hour-long news conference on the Eastern Illinois University campus ... most speakers who advocated for state funding for EIU stayed away from blaming any specific people for the state's budget impasse. But, there were exceptions.
EIU Associate Professor Dr. Kai Hung singled out one name during his seven-minute speech.
"Governor Rauner is taking our money, our livelihood and our community and he is using that to fuel his agenda. Balancing our state's budget is very important, but it should not rely only on cuts."
But, Effingham Mayor Jeff Bloemker said the governor is not to blame for the state's financial issues.
"He is only doing what he said he would do. I believe we all need to call upon those responsible for the untenable pension, tort, prevailing wage and gerrymandering burdens that have been developed in Illinois over the past 40 years or more."
The mayors of Charleston and Mattoon also spoke during the news conference ... as did GOP State Senator Dale Righter of Mattoon.
EIU announced the layoff of 177 civil service workers earlier this month. University officials say other non-faculty employees will take furlough days starting March first if EIU is still without state funding.
