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91_HR0376
LRB9107004LDmb
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, It is the educational and economic policy of the
3 State of Illinois to move regions, local areas, and local
4 institutions toward self-reliance, local initiative, and
5 local control; and
6 WHEREAS, It is further the policy of this State that
7 education is locally initiated and locally controlled; and
8 WHEREAS, The former State Community College was formed as
9 an experimental college to meet the educational needs of
10 Alorton, Brooklyn, Centreville, East St. Louis, Fairmount
11 City, and Washington Park, Illinois; and
12 WHEREAS, State Community College was abolished on July 1,
13 1996, and was replaced on that date with a new permanent
14 Class I community college district that was established by a
15 majority vote of the taxpayers of Community College District
16 541; and
17 WHEREAS, The Illinois statute authorizing the
18 establishment of a permanent Class I community college
19 required the Illinois Community College Board to transfer the
20 land and buildings that made up State Community College to a
21 locally elected Board of Trustees; and
22 WHEREAS, The statute authorizing the establishment of a
23 permanent community college district required taxpayers to
24 pay real estate taxes to support the new community college
25 district; and
26 WHEREAS, The taxpayers paid the required taxes during the
27 year Metropolitan Community College was in existence; and
28 WHEREAS, The Illinois Community College Board abolished
29 the Metropolitan Community College District on October 16,
30 1998, effective January 1, 1999; and
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1 WHEREAS, The General Assembly had created a district
2 consisting of Alorton, Centreville, Washington Park,
3 Brooklyn, East St. Louis, and Fairmount City; and
4 WHEREAS, The Illinois Community College Board dissolved
5 the local community college district without the vote of the
6 citizens or their elected representatives, on January 1,
7 1999; and
8 WHEREAS, The Speaker of the House, Michael J. Madigan,
9 has appointed a special task force to study the issue of the
10 creation of a New Community College District in the
11 geographic area of Community College District 541; and
12 WHEREAS, Southern Illinois University wishes to locate
13 its programs and facilities and build classroom space at the
14 former Metropolitan Community College site; and
15 WHEREAS, There is pending in the appellate court a
16 lawsuit challenging the actions of the Illinois Community
17 College Board and the constitutionality of the statutes; and
18 WHEREAS, The leadership of the communities making up the
19 geographic area of Community College District 541 presented
20 the Illinois Community College Board executive director with
21 a proposal to reestablish a comprehensive community college
22 district; and
23 WHEREAS, Discussions are going on in reference to a
24 relationship between Southern Illinois University, the
25 community, and a new community college district; therefore,
26 be it
27 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
28 NINETY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
29 we encourage continuing discussion between the General
30 Assembly, the Illinois Community College Board, the Board of
31 Higher Education, and the communities making up the
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1 geographic areas of the former Community College District 541
2 with the goal of planning to establish a community college
3 district; and be it further
4 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
5 delivered to the Illinois Community College Board and the
6 Board of Higher Education.