Pritchard to introduce legislation to raise funding for MAP Grants
By KATE SCHOTT kschott@daily-chronicle.com
DeKALB – State Rep. Robert Pritchard said he plans to introduce a measure today that could raise about $100 million to go toward a state grant program that provides funding for needy students to attend college.
Pritchard, a Republican from Hinckley, said his proposed measure would call for a six-week tax amnesty, during which anyone who owes money to the state could pay their taxes and not be penalized.
The state's Revenue Department estimates that could generate $100 million, Pritchard said. That money would then go to the state’s Monetary Award Program, or MAP grant program.
"I'm not sure if we will able to pass it," Pritchard said Wedenesday. "But I think most legislators want to do something."
Lawmakers initially proposed providing $440 million for grants and scholarships for the 2009-2010 academic year, but that was reduced to $220 million as they grappled with soaring budget deficits. Between $194 million to $198 million of that will be used for MAP grants during the fall semester.
An estimated 137,000 students received the financial need-based MAP grant this year, down from the 145,000 who did during the 2008-09 academic year. An estimated 130,000 students who were eligible won’t get anything because they applied after May 15, which is when funding ran out. The cutoff date in the past was in August.
Students at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb are set to lose more than $11 million in the spring, and students at Kishwaukee College in Malta could lose about $400,000, if funding is not restored, according to official at those two schools. More than 5,000 NIU and 700-800 Kishwaukee College students receive MAP grants.
Pritchard will be the primary sponsor of the proposed measure in the Illinois House. He said it could be acted on in the fall veto session, which is in October, if House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, calls it. He did not know Wednesday who the Senate sponsor would be.
State Sen. Brad Burzynski, R-Rochelle, said he would support such a measure, although he noted that not all of the money generated through a tax amnesty might go toward the MAP grant program.
"I'm not sure we could use all of it (for MAP) but it would be a good start," he said. "I would support it. It makes some sense."
