State Sen. Toi Hutchinson (D-Olympia Fields) doesn't represent Chicago, but she has emerged as a leading advocate of a bailout of Chicago Public Schools. | Blueroomstream
State Sen. Toi Hutchinson (D-Olympia Fields) doesn't represent Chicago, but she has emerged as a leading advocate of a bailout of Chicago Public Schools. | Blueroomstream
State Sen Toi Hutchinson (D-Olympia Fields) doesn't represent the City of Chicago.
But she's isn't shy about her support for Chicago's public schools.
In Springfield, Hutchinson is a leading public advocate for raising taxes on south suburbanites to send more money to Chicago schools, which are teetering under a suffocating -- if self-inflicted-- debt load and an insolvent teachers pension system.
At a press conference last Friday, Hutchinson affirmed her support of a measure that would make the state responsible for funding that pension, increasing Springfield support for CPS by 50 percent, or another $700 million on top of the $1.54 billion it already receives.
The 64 school districts in Cook County's south suburbs received a collective $558 million from Springfield last year, according to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).
"Part of the reason that I believe strongly in the school funding reform issue is that I don't just look at my kids.. I look at all of the kids in the state of Illinois," Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson's 40th district includes the south Cook County suburbs of Chicago Heights, Olympia Fields, Flossmoor, Park Forest, most of Kankakee County as well as parts of Will and Grundy Counties.
Union support
The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and its supporters have returned the favor to Hutchinson.
She's received $8,750 in campaign donations from CTU directly and $255,290 from pro-teachers union lobbies statewide over her career, according to Illinois State Board of Elections recods.
That includes more than $100,000 from Stand for Illinois, a Winnetka-based lobbying group that is aggressively pushing for a CPS bailout.
Critics question whether even a multi-billion dollar bailout would be enough to save CPS from bankruptcy.
The district overspent by $6.6 billion over the past 15 years and has another $10 billion in unfunded pension debt, according to state estimates.
Taking responsibility for funding the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund (CTPF) would cost the state of Illinois $9.78 billon over the next decade, according to an actuarial analysis conducted for the fund by Segal Consulting.
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Teachers Unions back Toi
How much has State Sen Toi Hutchinson (D-Olympia Fields) received in campaign contributions from teachers unions and their supporters?
| Contributor | Date | Amount |
| Stand For Children Illinois | 10/4/2010 | $50,000 |
| Stand for Children Illinois | 10/7/2010 | $50,000 |
| Illinois Education Association | 9/28/2010 | $35,000 |
| Illinois Education Association | 10/31/2012 | $15,000 |
| Illinois Education Association | 1/31/2010 | $9,750 |
| Illinois Education Association | 11/4/2010 | $5,008 |
| American Federation of Teachers Local 604 | 6/26/2012 | $5,000 |
| American Federation of Teachers Local 604 | 10/30/2012 | $5,000 |
| American Federation of Teachers Local 604 | 6/11/2013 | $5,000 |
| American Federation of Teachers Local 604 | 5/25/2016 | $5,000 |
| Cook County College Teachers Union | 10/30/2012 | $5,000 |
| Illinois Education Association | 6/11/2013 | $5,000 |
| Illinois Education Association | 8/11/2015 | $5,000 |
| Illinois Education Association | 8/2/2016 | $5,000 |
| Illinois Federation of Teachers | 11/4/2014 | $5,000 |
| American Federation of Teachers Local 604 | 5/13/2014 | $3,000 |
| Chicago Teachers Union | 12/26/2009 | $3,000 |
| Illinois Education Association | 6/26/2014 | $3,000 |
| American Federation of Teachers Local 604 | 5/18/2012 | $2,500 |
| American Federation of Teachers Local 604 | 6/23/2015 | $2,500 |
| Illinois Education Association | 9/7/2012 | $2,500 |
| Illinois Federation of Teachers | 10/30/2012 | $2,500 |
| Illinois Federation of Teachers | 11/5/2012 | $2,500 |
| Illinois Federation of Teachers | 6/19/2013 | $2,500 |
| Illinois Federation of Teachers | 6/4/2014 | $2,500 |
| Cook County College Teachers Union | 6/29/2011 | $1,550 |
| Chicago Teachers Union | 8/18/2011 | $1,500 |
| Chicago Teachers Union | 8/23/2012 | $1,500 |
| Illinois Federation of Teachers | 6/8/2011 | $1,500 |
| Illinois Federation of Teachers | 7/6/2015 | $1,300 |
| Illinois Federation of Teachers | 6/15/2016 | $1,300 |
| American Federation of Teachers Local 604 | 1/30/2014 | $1,000 |
| Chicago Teachers Union | 12/30/2013 | $1,000 |
| Chicago Teachers Union | 7/22/2016 | $1,000 |
| Illinois Federation of Teachers | 12/21/2009 | $1,000 |
| Stand For Children Illinois | 10/14/2014 | $1,000 |
| Illinois Principal's Association | 9/14/2010 | $1,000 |
| Illinois Federation of Teachers | 4/24/2012 | $750 |
| Illinois Federation of Teachers | 4/24/2012 | $750 |
| Chicago Teachers Union | 10/30/2012 | $500 |
| Illinois Principal's Association | 9/16/2015 | $500 |
| Illinois Education Association | 10/28/2010 | $366 |
| Chicago Principals & Administrators Association | 11/2/2010 | $250 |
| Chicago Teachers Union | 7/30/2014 | $250 |
| Stand For Children Illinois | 11/12/2013 | $250 |
| Stand For Children Illinois | 9/16/2015 | $250 |
| Illinois Principal's Association | 9/29/2012 | $250 |
| Chicago Principals & Administrators Association | 2/11/2014 | $200 |
| Illinois Education Association | 10/17/2010 | $37 |
| Illinois Education Association | 10/17/2010 | $29 |
| TOTAL | $255,290 |
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections
Can the state afford to fund the Chicago Teacher's Pension?
Chicago Teachers Union Pension expects it will need more than $1 billion per year in taxpayer subsidy by 2027.
| Year | Required Annual Contribution |
| 2017 | $745,400,000 |
| 2018 | $784,400,000 |
| 2019 | $809,800,000 |
| 2020 | $835,500,000 |
| 2021 | $861,800,000 |
| 2022 | $888,600,000 |
| 2023 | $915,800,000 |
| 2024 | $943,400,000 |
| 2025 | $970,900,000 |
| 2026 | $997,800,000 |
| 2027 | $1,023,900,000 |
| TOTAL | $9,777,300,000 |
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