Will County Gazette

Illinois State House District 97 candidate Gabby Shanahan commented on a request from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, stating, "Instead of bailing out Chicago Public Schools, we need to look at comprehensive reforms that empower families with great local schools." She made the statement in a July 30 Facebook post.

"Every child deserves the best opportunity to succeed and access an education that fits their needs," said Shanahan, according to Facebook. "Instead of bailing out Chicago Public Schools, we need to look at comprehensive reforms that empower families with great local schools."

In her Facebook post, Shanahan shared a screenshot of a press release from her campaign, in which she issued a response to a Chicago Tribune editorial. The editorial celebrated Governor J.B. Pritzker’s refusal to bail out Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to the tune of $1.1 billion. According to the editorial, the budgeting crisis is mostly "self-created," noting that CPS has spent $2.6 billion in federal bailout funds and allocated approximately $233 million from the remainder of the federal money in the current year budget.

Screenshot of Gabby Shanahan for State Representative's July 30 Facebook post | Gabby Shanahan for State Representative Facebook page

The editorial further states that CPS has boosted its budget to $9.9 billion since fiscal year 2021 while student enrollment has fallen by 5% during the same period.

Shanahan’s statement continued in her news release: "Local families can’t afford to bail out Chicago Public Schools, which spend $30,000 per student, compared to $24,000 for the statewide average. This measure would allow Chicago to skip the line, placing an undue burden on families in our communities by increasing property taxes," said Shanahan in the July 30 news release.

Gabby Shanahan is an Illinois native who lives with her family in Kendall County. She grew up in Plainfield and graduated from Plainfield Central High School before attending the University of St. Francis, where she earned a double major in U.S. History and Political Science and later a Master of Business Administration. She is the county chair of the Kendall Young Republicans and the national committeewoman of Illinois for the Young Republican National Federation. Currently working for a nonprofit that "fights for taxpayers who deserve a voice in their government," according to her biography on her campaign website, Shanahan's platform includes lower taxes, restoring accountability, protecting district communities, and advocating for an "all of the above" approach to education that includes options for private schools and vocational programs.