Chance The Rapper Meets With Illinois Governor, Tries To Save Chicago Public Schools

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration has come up with two solutions to help fund Chicago Public Schools after a meeting with Chance the Rapper on Friday, according to a Monday memo first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times. Chance the Rapper, a native of Chicago who attended public school, announced a press conference for Monday at 2 p.m. local time at Wescott Elementary School.

The options, outlined in a memo obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times is from Michael Mahoney, Rauner's deputy chief of staff for policy and legislative affairs.

Rauner, who once vetoed a bill that would have given $215 million to Chicago Public Schools, said passing a law that would allow Mayor Rahm Emanuel to use city's tax increment financing funds or adding the funding to the Illinois Senate’s pension bill and removing it out of the “grand bargain” budget package are the two ways money could be transferred to CPS. These options come after a two-year ongoing political battle over the state budget between Rauner, a Republican, and House Speaker Michael Madigan, a Chicago Democrat.

“While this bill is currently tied to the ‘grand bargain’ in the Senate, this bill could be broken off from the 'grand bargain' and amended to add the city’s request to pick up the normal cost of teacher pensions and retiree healthcare expenses in this fiscal year," Mahoney wrote.

“Such a comprehensive pension reform agreement would satisfy the deal we made last summer and could be signed into law without delay,” the memo reads.

Chance the Rapper said the meeting with Rauner didn't go as planned, claiming Rauner gave him vague answers. The musician told the press he felt “a little bit flustered, just a little bit frustrated.” He later tweeted, "Chicago Public Schools and I did not lose today. Please don't let that become the narrative. Monday morning I'll have a plan."

Chance the Rapper, 23, whose real name is Chancellor Johnathan Bennett, grew up in the middle-class neighborhood of West Chatham on the South Side. He attended William Jones College Preparatory High School, considered one of the best high schools in the U.S.

“The kids are on the table right now. We spoke for a second, and it sounded like we were going somewhere. But it sounds like it hinged on passing other bills. I’m not a politician,” he added.

In today’s briefing, Chance is set to “make a major announcement about his efforts to support Chicago Public Schools,” according to a press release. It will be live streamed on his Instagram account.