City schools slash construction plans

By Ana Beatriz Cholo
Chicago Tribune
August 25, 2004

The Chicago Board of Education is poised to pass a $369 million capital budget Wednesday--the smallest since Mayor Richard Daley took over the schools in 1995.

That budget includes $110 million in state funds that the legislature hasn't yet approved.

The budget also is notable for what it lacks--no funding for new school construction projects.

"I don't believe there has been a year when the fiscal year capital budget was announced and it did not include any new schools or replacement schools," said Sean Murphy, the district's chief operating officer.

With money so tight, the district will focus on maintaining its more than 600 buildings, Murphy said.

Chicago school officials said they will spend $36 million to create 1,500 new classroom seats to relieve overcrowded schools.

That promise, however, is contingent on the state legislature approving an allocation of $110 million during this fall's veto session. If the state does not approve that funding, the capital budget will shrink even further to $259 million, forcing cancellation of some projects.

Additional sources of funds for the capital budget are a $220 million bond, $26 million in tax-increment financing funds and $13 million in federal money.

Jacqueline Leavy, executive director of the Neighborhood Capital Budget Program, said she received the capital budget Tuesday--after two weeks of asking the school district for more details and not getting any answers.

"We have never had so many delays," Leavy said. "There has been a steady if gradual backpedaling from giving the public the details in advance."

Leavy said it appears the district is headed toward "the low ebb again," referring to the lean years when little money was spent on additions, renovations and new construction.

Renovation projects slated for this year include $6.3 million in boiler and mechanical replacements at Chicago Vocational Career Academy and $6 million for the same upgrades at Bouchet Academy. Both schools are on the South Side.

There also is $4.8 million in masonry and window repairs at Austin High School and $4.6 million for terra-cotta repairs and windows at Spalding School on the Near West Side. Both schools closed in June for renovations.

The budget also includes $13 million for opening small, contract and charter schools under the Renaissance 2010 plan that calls for 100 such schools, mostly in existing buildings. The $13 million does not involve new construction.

About $5.8 million has been set aside for upgraded science labs at Michele Clark, Lincoln Park, Hancock and Sullivan High Schools. All but Hancock include magnet programs.

Last year, the capital budget was $374.8 million, with $113 million set aside for new construction. The year before that, the board passed a $512 million budget, with $275 million going toward building new schools.

The district's overall budget, which includes capital spending, operating costs and debt-service funds, totals $5 billion and also is pending approval Wednesday by the Board of Education.