The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother. And, the most important thing for the education of our children--next to reading to our kids from birth through third grade--is to always treat their teachers with respect and enthusiastic affection.

Children throughout Illinois have started back to school. Parents' excitement will be reflected in their children's attitudes. Here in the Fox Valley we have special reason to celebrate because increased funding for local schools from state taxpayers will provide excellent education for those children and parents who are willing to apply themselves to study and will hold down the pressure to increase property taxes.

The financial "good news" for students, parents, teachers, and taxpayers in the Aurora East School District is that state funding has increased over last year by approximately $2.8M. In the West Aurora School District state funding increased by slightly more than $3.0M. Oswego with its staggering growth, will enjoy an increase of $4.2M, Yorkville nearly $1.5M more, Kaneland nearly $650,000 more, Geneva approximately $315,000 more, Plano over $351,000 more, and St. Charles nearly $1.5M more. (For a complete list of statewide school district funding, click here: Illinois State Board of Education)

The size of these increases is in large part due to the failure of Chicago Democrat leadership to agree on Governor Blagojevich's initially proposed budget. Thankfully, when the General Assembly went into overtime session for two months this summer, the compromise budget reflected a more fair balance in the allocation of funds among suburban Republicans and Downstate Republicans and Democrats. All area legislators worked hard to stay together on these education priorities throughout those negotiations.

I am also grateful for the additional financial sacrifices made by those families who send their children to private and parochial schools and by those who homeschool. Each of these children saves property and state taxpayers approximately $7000 per year. These families are fortunate to have the resources to have that educational choice. Someday, hopefully we will pass legislation over current establishment objections to provide a pilot program of "educational choice" where half of the $11,000 spent on each child's education in Chicago will go with that child to any school that his/her parents select.

I enthusiastically support public education along with our teachers and administrators who make it run well every day. And, I have proudly sponsored the pilot program for education choice, tuition tax credits for parents who select private and parochial schools, and measures to protect these schools' accreditation, as well as transportation and textbook funding, in order to give all parents choices about how to best educate their children.

Love your spouse. Hug your child. Demonstrate your affection for our teachers. Thank your fellow taxpayers.