Noooo Meddling Now . . .

With the recent election to the Woodford County Board of a few "new" voices, our prediction that "PTELL ain't dead yet" seems likely to prove correct. We already have a sense of the opposition girding their loins. This, along with the virtual torrent of speakers from the public sector spouting their "talking points" from their lobbying organizations' respective websites at the last Board Vote on putting PTELL to a public vote, we wish to remind citizens of something. School districts are prohibited by law from allowing any public expenditure (including personnel time) to be used in support of a particular candidate or referendum choice. They are allowed to provide "information" but cannot make a specific endorsement or ask for a certain vote. Obviously, the distinction between "information" and an endorsement is a slippery one, so one an eye must be kept on these kinds of activities. Here is the section of the Illinois code that applies:

(10 ILCS 5/9-25.1) Sec. 9-25.1. Election interference.

(a) As used in this Section, "public funds" means any funds appropriated by the Illinois General Assembly or by any political subdivision of the State of Illinois.

(b) No public funds shall be used to urge any elector to vote for or against any candidate or proposition, or be appropriated for political or campaign purposes to any candidate or political organization. This Section shall not prohibit the use of public funds for dissemination of factual information relative to any
proposition appearing on an election ballot, or for dissemination of information and arguments published and distributed under law in connection with a proposition to amend the Constitution of the State of Illinois.(c) The first
time any person violates any provision of this Section, that person shall be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. Upon the second or any subsequent violation of any provision of this Section, the person violating any provision of this Section shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.