With the midterm elections over, big government Leftists and their political allies are now conspiring in Springfield. We are starting the second week of the fall veto session today, and one of the goals of many Democrats and teachers’ unions is to kill the Invest in Kids Act,which has helped award more than 37,000 scholarships through private donations totaling more than $280 million. This much-needed program is scheduled to end (sunset) on January 1, 2025, but a Leftist group wants to kill it now.

A teachers’ union front group called “Illinois Families for Public Schools” wants to end this program and are putting a lot of pressure on legislators to do so. They distort the program by calling the scholarships vouchers. Recall previously that Gov. J.B. Pritzker slandered this program by calling it a tax loophole.

More than ever, we need freedom-loving citizens to contact their own representatives and tell them to remove the sunset for the Invest in Kids Act. 

There are four ways that you can help:

1.) If you are able to travel to Springfield this week, please join with those who will try to reach our elected officials in person. Contact Juan@empowerillinois.org or Bobby@empowerillinois.org to get more information.

2.) Click HERE to contact your elected official via phone and email. This website will identify your state senator and representative. You can use a pre-written message and/or add your own personalized note.

3.) We need you to share this message with family and friends. Please forward this email. You do not have to have a child in school or in this program to make your voice known.

4.) Let us make our strong appeal to our great God and Heavenly Father for His mercy. Our confidence in all things is through our Lord Jesus Christ and the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Act and Pray!

We are living through a spiritual/legal/political revolution in our nation. The issue at hand is more than just money. We recognize that ultimately we are in a spiritual battle. We must first be in prayer for the sake of our state and for the sake of many who have been helped out of government indoctrination centers. We also must express our strong disapproval to Gov. Pritzker and our state legislators about cutting this program in any way.

Read more: Illinois Invest in Kids Program Should be Expanded, Not Phased Out (Heartland Inst.)

In August 2017, the Illinois General Assembly passed the Invest in Kids Act as part of a budget package and allocated $75 million for scholarships through tax-credit contributions. This legislation funds scholarships for qualifying low-income students to attend the nonpublic school of their choice.

The Children’s Tuition Fund of Illinois (listed as ACSI Children Education Fund on the state website) is officially authorized to serve students, schools, and contributors as a Scholarship Granting Organization and began accepting contributions on January 2, 2018. Your contribution can help private Christian schools across the state and, in the process, help families escape government schools.

Contributors to this scholarship program receive 75% of their contribution as a state tax credit. This is much more than just a deduction.

For example, if you owe $750 in Illinois state income tax and you contribute $1,000 to CTF IL, you eliminate your entire income tax liability because 75% of $1000 is $750. Almost all of your contribution ($950) goes to your designated school(s) for scholarships! Both businesses and individuals can participate. Please note that this credit is for the 2018 tax year—not for the 2017 tax year.

Since donations have been capped at only $75 million for the entire state, it is critical to make your donation quickly now that the system has opened on January 2, 2018.

To make a donation, you first need to register. This requires going to https://MyTax.Illinois.gov, registering on the site, and awaiting a confirmation “Letter ID” from the State. There is a great video of the process on the Invest in Kids Act website. Once you receive your Letter ID you must go back into MyTax.Illinois.gov and complete your registration.

If this sounds interesting to you, please take the first step of getting a Letter ID from the state so that you can finish the registration process. My letter only took a few days to receive, but if possible do this first step today!

Please visit https://MyTax.Illinois.gov today! Then select REGISTRATION in the menu on the upper right. And then choose “Sign up for a MyTax Illinois account.”

In Christ,

Pastor Calvin Lindstrom
Christian Liberty Academy