The nation’s governors assembled at State College, Pa., to
discuss
issues affecting their states for the National Governor’s Association
this
past weekend. The need for improved education and outreach to youth was
highlighted by messengers Colin Powell and even Federal Reserve Chairman
Alan Greenspan. Although absent from formal discussion, there was
valuable
feedback involving parental choice in education and particularly, the
private scholarship tax-credit, as a means to address the needs of
youth.
The private scholarship tax-credit is a plan that allows the private
sector-businesses and individuals in states with a state income tax —
to
contribute to private, nonprofit organizations that provide scholarship
assistance for children to attend the public or nonpublic school of
their
parents choosing. The plan has become law in Arizona and has survived
challenges from the National Education Association and the ACLU in both
the
Arizona Supreme Court, and most recently in the U.S. Supreme Court,
which
affirmed that the funding in question involves no government assistance
directly or indirectly.
Many people who learn about the private scholarship tax-credit plan
believe
the plan rises above much of the controversy surrounding
government-funded
vouchers because the plan involves only private, voluntary,
non-government
funding. Private schools especially welcome private scholarships
because
concerns about government regulations are avoided. But with a state
tax-credit for donors, rather than just a federal tax-deduction, many
more
children can benefit.
“I’m surprised I have never heard about this plan. This is a
marvelous
idea. I would be very interested in looking at this plan for our
state,”
exclaimed Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, who was instrumental in
bringing
government vouchers to Milwaukee. Gov. Thompson is also the chairman of
the
Republican Party’s Platform Committee and suggested this issue be put
before
his committee for the upcoming convention.
“This scholarship tax-credit plan is a much better way to go. We
need to
figure out the best way to structure this for Virginia,” Virginia Gov.
James
Gilmore said.
“We are very excited about this approach. Everybody wants to get it
done
next year,” claimed Colorado Gov. Bill Owens, whose legislature
considered
the issue this past session where it suffered a narrow defeat in the
state
senate.
Even in Michigan — where government vouchers are currently on the
November
ballot in an organized effort led by Amway President Rich DeVos — a
frustrated Gov. John Engler who opposes the ballot measure said, “I’m
not
opposed to parents having choices. This is the best way to help
children
get into better schools. If you can build a bipartisan consensus behind
this approach I would be very much interested in seeing this introduced
in
Michigan.” The ballot measure has split many within the Republican
Party in
Michigan.
The governors were particularly interested in the polling data
conducted by
the Polling Company in Washington, D.C., indicating that an overwhelming
77
percent of registered voters and 82 percent of registered Democrats
support
the idea of a tax-credit for donations to scholarship organizations that
help low income children.
“On this issue for Democrat legislators, we’re in a particularly
uncomfortable position of having to choose between serving our donors
and
serving our constituency,” claims Pennsylvania Rep. Dwight Evans, a
black
Democrat legislator who favors parental choice in education, referring
to
the powerful influence of the teacher unions in his party.
Other governors — Democrats and Republicans, voucher supporters and
opponents — indicated that this scholarship tax-credit should be
welcomed
into their state legislatures as a solution to the problems in
education.
Yet not all governors were enthusiastic. In California the governor
strongly opposes the ballot voucher measure being introduced there.
“But I
strongly support the private scholarships provided by Forstmann and
Walton;
those are good because it is private money,” said a confident California
Gov. Gray Davis, referring to the $200 million in K-12 scholarships
largely
donated by businessmen John Walton and Ted Forstmann, for which 1.25
million
applicants have sought one of 40,000 slots. But when asked about
providing
donors with a state tax-credit, rather than just a federal
tax-deduction,
Gov. Davis said, “I am going to have to think long and hard about that
one.”
The private scholarship tax-credit remains a relatively unknown and
underfunded effort that is quietly building bridges between
conservatives
and liberals, blacks and whites, Republicans and Democrats, religious
and
nonreligious. According to many of our nation’s governors, the
scholarship
tax-credit may be the means to make privately-funded scholarships
available
to all children who need and want them.
Martin Angell is the founder and director of A Choice For Every Child Foundation in Dallas, Texas. A consultant to legislators across the country since 1997, he recently attended the National Governor’s Association annual meeting in State College, Pa.