Lake’s Rep. Rita Mayfield, Sen. Melinda Bush and Sen. Julie Morrison are among 29 legislators to receive money from the Chicago Teachers Union in 2015.
Will they support the powerful union's call to shift state school money to Chicago, away from Lake County districts?
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If the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) is going to achieve its goal of $1.6 billion more in spending by Chicago Public Schools, it will need more than just another large property tax hike on Chicago homeowners.
It will require more money from non-Chicago taxpayers -- living in the Chicago suburbs and downstate -- and more support from their non-Chicago representatives in Springfield.
Increasing state spending to the Chicago Public Schools means decreasing it to suburban and downstate districts, the overwhelming majority of whom already receive a lower state subsidy than Chicago.
Are there suburban or downstate legislators who might back a Chicago schools bailout, costing their own schools in the process?
A Lake County Gazette analysis of Chicago Teachers Union Political Action Committee (CTU PAC) campaign finance reports found that in 2015, it made $28,500 in donations to 29 state legislators whose districts don’t include any Chicagoans.
All 29 legislators receiving CTU PAC donations were Democrats; 19 represent the Chicago suburbs and 10 downstate communities.
Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-Waukegan) received $1,000 from CTU PAC. Sen Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) and Sen. Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) each received $500.
CTU has seen state funding to Chicago Public Schools grow significantly over the past decade -- from $1.4 billion in 2005 to $1.8 billion in 2014, an increase of 29 percent. CTU PAC generously donated to Lake County politicians over that period.
Over the past decade, Mayfield has received $6,500 from CTU. Morrison and Bush each have received a total of $1,500.
Other ex-Lake County state legislators who’ve received support from CTU include:
Sen. Susan Garrett (D-Lake Bluff), $18,500
Sen. Terry Link (D- Waukegan), $14,000
Rep. Karen May (D-Highand Park), $9,300
Rep. Eddie Washington (D-Waukegan), $8,000
Sen. Michael Bond (D-Grayslake), $5,000
Rep. Kathy Ryg (D-Vernon Hills), $3,100
The rich get richer?
Chicago schools already receive more money from state and federal taxpayers than 44 of 46 Lake County districts
| School District | Non Local Funding (Per Pupil) |
| North Chicago 187 | $8,958 |
| Waukegan CUSD 60 | $7,888 |
| Chicago Public Schools | $7,515 |
| Round Lake CUSD 116 | $6,420 |
| Zion 6 | $6,223 |
| Emmons 33/Antioch | $4,868 |
| Wauconda CUSD 118 | $4,162 |
| Gavin 27/Ingleside | $4,011 |
| Fremont 79/Mundelein | $3,860 |
| Zion-Benton Township 126 | $3,728 |
| Beach Park CCSD 3 | $3,544 |
| Aptakisic-Trip CCSD 102/Buffalo Grove | $3,218 |
| Lake Villa CCSD 41 | $2,833 |
| Grayslake CCSD 46 | $2,711 |
| Diamond Lake 76/Mundelein | $2,688 |
| Fox Lake 114/Spring Grove | $2,612 |
| Millburn CCSD 24/Old Mill Creek | $2,410 |
| CHSD 117/Lake Villa | $2,393 |
| Antioch CCSD 34 | $2,238 |
| Big Hollow 38/Ingleside | $2,142 |
| Mundelein 75 | $2,072 |
| Gurnee 56 | $1,940 |
| Grass Lake 36/Antioch | $1,894 |
| Hawthorn CCSD/Vernon Hills | $1,842 |
| Mundelein 120 | $1,842 |
| Warren Township 121 | $1,814 |
| Barrington CUSD 220 | $1,731 |
| Grant 124 | $1,582 |
| North Shore 112/Highland Park | $1,466 |
| Kildeer Countryside CCSD 96 | $1,460 |
| Township 113/Highland Park | $1,441 |
| Woodland CCSD 50/Gurnee | $1,324 |
| Stevenson 125/Lincolnshire | $1,296 |
| Libertyville 70 | $1,284 |
| Lake Bluff 65 | $1,233 |
| Winthrop Harbor 1 | $1,211 |
| Lake Zurich CUSD 95 | $1,192 |
| Lincolnshire-Prairieview 103 | $1,099 |
| Rondout 72/Lake Forest | $1,072 |
| Lake Forest CHSD 115 | $1,065 |
| CHSD 128/Vernon Hills | $978 |
| Bannockburn 106 | $944 |
| Deerfield 109 | $841 |
| Oak Grove 68/Libertyville | $836 |
| Lake Forest SD 67 | $818 |
Chicago Teachers Union Pets
Which state legislators received the biggest donations from CTU in 2015?
| 1 | Rep. Emanuel "Chris" Welch | (D-Maywood) | $7,500 |
| 2 | Rep. John Bradley | (D-Marion) | $1,500 |
| 3 | Rep. Al Riley | (D-Hazel Crest) | $1,500 |
| 4 | Rep. Jay Hoffman | (D-Collinsville) | $1,000 |
| 5 | Sen. Jehan Gordon | (D-Peoria) | $1,000 |
| 6 | Sen. Jennifer Bertino Tarrant | (D-Plainfield) | $1,000 |
| 7 | Rep. Robyn Gabel | (D-Evanston) | $1,000 |
| 8 | Rep. Rita Mayfield | (D- Waukegan) | $1,000 |
| 9 | Rep. Emily Klunk-McAsey | (D-Lockport) | $1,000 |
| 10 | Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia | (D-Aurora) | $1,000 |
| 10 | Sen. Michael Noland | (D-Elgin) | $1,000 |
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