Parents see brighter futures with new school-voucher law

Orlando Sentinel ^ | September 17, 2002 | Lori Horvitz

[Cincinatus' Wife]

EATONVILLE -- Jacqueline Washington doesn't move in Tallahassee's political circles, but she has found herself at the forefront of one of the state's hottest political issues -- school vouchers.

Washington, a 52-year-old grandmother from Orlando, is among the first Floridians to take advantage of a new program that funnels corporate tax breaks to low-income families who want to take their children out of public schools and enroll them in private ones.

Five of Washington's grandchildren -- three boys and two girls ages 6 to 13 -- attend St. Mark Preparatory, a Christian school in west Orlando. Washington and her daughter are splitting the oldest child's tuition bill. But tuition for the four youngest children is paid for by the state's new Corporate Income Tax Credit Scholarship Program.

The law, which took effect Jan. 1, allows companies to claim income-tax credits for directing cash to the voucher program. It is the third voucher plan established by the state since Gov. Jeb Bush took office. The first, in effect since 1998, allows children who attend failing schools to switch to another public school or a private one. The other is for disabled children whose parents aren't happy with their child's public school.

Washington fretted that her grandchildren weren't getting enough attention and discipline in the public school system. She said she's hopeful their education will improve at St. Mark.

"Their futures seemed pretty dim before, but now they have a better future in the private school," said Washington, a receptionist who also has custody of two teenagers, both Evans High School students, in addition to the five at St. Mark.

Florida lawmakers who created the corporate tax credit scholarships said they want to give children from low-income homes the same educational opportunities as those from wealthier families.

"How did we get to a point in America where we can pick where we can worship, we can pick where we live, we can pick what job we go to, but parents are often denied choices in where they educate their children?" House Speaker Tom Feeney, R-Oviedo, said Wednesday.

Feeney and a half-dozen other Republican lawmakers Wednesday attended a ceremonial gathering at the Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Eatonville, where Florida Power Corp. executives presented a check for $5 million to the scholarship program.

In return, Florida Power gets a $5 million break on corporate taxes from the state this year. Every dollar goes directly to vouchers, so the power company's check would cover up to $3,500 each for more than 1,400 children.

Florida Power is the second company in the state to take advantage of the tax credits. On Tuesday, WCI Communities Inc., a real estate company, gave a $5 million check in West Palm Beach.

Under the law, no company can direct more than $5 million to the voucher program, and the amount of tax credits can't top 75 percent of the company's tax bill. The state limited the total amount of tax credits to $50 million annually.

House Democrat Leader Lois Frankel, who opposes the program, said the state should not be letting corporations decide how to spend tax money. That's the job of elected officials, she said.

"It is just part of this whole agenda to privatize -- to shift responsibility away from government and turn over this responsibility to the private sector," said Frankel, who is from West Palm Beach.

The voucher program has drawn criticism locally, too. Orange County School Board member Barbara T. Rushing said she is not against vouchers, but she thinks corporations also should be allowed to earn tax credits for giving money to private foundations that raise money for public schools. The law does not allow for that.

"There's no sour grapes here," said Rushing, a Republican whose father, Rep. Allen Trovillion, R-Winter Park, was among the guests at Wednesday's check presentation. "But it just would have been nice for people to use it for all children, not just people in the private sector."

"Families call my office almost on a daily basis in tears . . . because they want help for their children," said Tina Dupree, director of FloridaChild, a nonprofit Miami organization that processes voucher applications for the state. "Families in the state of Florida are hurting, but this is going to ease their pain a whole lot in education."

Scholarship money is available to cover tuition for the rest of this school year, but families must apply by Jan. 31. After that, the money will be used for next year.

To fill out an application online, go to the Web site at www.floridachild.org, or call 800-805-4485.

Lori Horvitz can be reached at lhorvitz@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5273.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

House Democrat Leader Lois Frankel, who opposes the program, said the state should not be letting corporations decide how to spend tax money. That's the job of elected officials, she said.

"It is just part of this whole agenda to privatize -- to shift responsibility away from government and turn over this responsibility to the private sector," said Frankel, who is from West Palm Beach.

YES!!!

Teachers Union to back McBride [FL TEACHERS UNION HAS DUMPED JANET RENO!]--The politically active teachers union, with 120,000 members throughout Florida, offers one of the biggest endorsements in any Democratic contest. Union insiders say its deliberations and vote Wednesday night for McBride, after an inspirational meeting with an "infectiously enthusiastic" candidate, will be followed with door-to-door campaigning in the months-long primary campaign ahead.

TEACHERS BACK GORE WITH MONEY, MUSCLE--Teachers' unions and the Democrats are joined at the hip. A partnership that fights against your interests and involves your children in their propaganda campaign.

NEA To Support Non-Testing Measures, gay education, partnership with AFT --Unions work for teachers and democratic party issues.

And it doesn't get any better when they enter college. I doubt a general survey of all U.S. Universities would be much different. Poll Confirms Ivy League's Leftist Slant--"All that this survey shows is what we already know, that the elite universities are subsidiaries of the Democratic Party and political left," said David Horowitz, president of the Center for the Study of Popular Culture, which commissioned the poll. The profs' goose-stepping conformity "disappointed" Frank Luntz, the Republican pollster whose firm conducted the survey.

We MUST question War dissent on campus: A problem or not?

If you agree we have a crisis in education in the U.S., don't throw more money at the problem read this: Defending Civilization: How Our Universities Are Failing America and What Can Be Done About It---"At a time of national crisis, I think it is particularly apparent that we need to encourage the study of our past. Our children and grandchildren-indeed, all of us-need to know the idea and ideals on which our nation has been built. We need to understand that living in liberty is such a precious thing that generations of men and women have been willing to sacrifice everything for it. We need to know, in a war, exactly what is at stake."… Lynn Cheney, October 5, 2001

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

"It is just part of this whole agenda to privatize -- to shift responsibility authority away from government and turn over this responsibility authority to the private sector," said [House Democrat Leader Lois] Frankel, who is from West Palm Beach.

It is fundamental that you don't blame people for things they can't control--you should not "seperate responsibility from authority." We take that so much for granted that the term "responsibility" is sometimes (as in this case)substituted for what is actually meant--authority.

And authority is simply empowered freedom--e.g., freedom of the press is efectuated by ownership of a press. We support that freedom not only for the principle that we ourselves might want to exercise it, but because those who do choose to exercise it may perchance tell us something true and important (even if it may be buried in the untrue and/or unimportant).

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bump!

[Temple Owl]

Kids learn how to read and write, they vote Republican.

[Lizavetta]

What the government funds, the government controls.

Show me where that's NOT the case.

[summer]

Bumping for index.

[summer]

FYI.

[katherineisgreat]

YES!!! I love it when they implement voucher programs!

[summer]

This is the 3rd voucher program in Florida now in existence under Gov. Bush. I think there is room enough for both excellent public schools as well as vouchers.

[gatorman]

Orange County School Board member Barbara T. Rushing said she is not against vouchers, but she thinks corporations also should be allowed to earn tax credits for giving money to private foundations that raise money for public schools. The law does not allow for that.

That is a good point . . . however, the issue is "state tax credits". It is my understanding that corporations that "give" money to foundations that raise money for public schools can deduct most, or, at least, a portion of those dollars on their federal tax liabilities.

Okay Freepers with tax accounting expertise . . . what are the facts in this scenario? Can corporations deduct from both the feds and tax credits from the state of Florida if the state law allowed the tax credits?

If they can then maybe we need to let Governor Bush add yet another fourth plan - a win, win situation for both public and private schools.

FRegards

[summer]

Another outstanding post from you, gatorman. Great questions, and a HUGE BTTT! :)

[mafree]

Thanks summer- sometimes vouchers are the only way to go. In an ideal world there'd be no compulsory education but we ain't there yet. Until then, folks who can't afford private schools should be able to get vouchers.

[summer]

FYI. :)

[Caipirabob]

Good morning and THANKS!!! : )

[summer]

You're welcome. This is really a much bigger story than the press has reported so far, and I think this new voucher program is one reason Gov. Bush's popularity is soaring with black voters in FL. He now has a 35% approval rating from FL's black voters, according to a recent Mason-Dixon poll. Not good news for the Dem candidates.

[summer]

FYI. :)