Georgia’s tuition-tax credit law weakest in nation
Eleven states have adopted tax-credit programs that encourage donations to private-school scholarship programs, according to the National Conference of State Legislators.
None of those programs is like Georgia’s program.
Most states at least make an effort to ensure that tax-subsidized scholarships are limited to lower-income students who might otherwise be stuck in an underperforming public school. That’s the whole philosophy behind the program nationwide. States do not want the program to become a backdoor means of subsidizing private school tuition for those who can already afford it.
But Georgia law, by design, contains no such safeguard. It is against the law for the state to even ask how many of the scholarships are being awarded to lower-income students.
Most states also attempt to monitor the performance of private schools receiving that taxpayer subsidy. And they should. Under the tax-credit system, every dollar donated to a private-school scholarship fund is a dollar not paid to the state treasury, meaning that state government takes a serious hit on such programs. (In Georgia, it’s $51 million a year.) If the state is going to subsidize private-school tuition in that amount, it has an obligation to the taxpayer and to the student to ensure that the education meets minimal standards.
But Georgia law, again by design, contains no such safeguard.
In Arizona, for example, the corporate tuition tax credit is limited to low-income students. Private schools that accept the money must administer a standardized test and release those results to the public. In Florida — often cited as a model for such programs — scholarships are limited to students who qualify for reduced or free lunches, and schools that accept 30 or more such scholarship students must release results of a national standardized test to the public.
Pennsylvania’s tuition tax-credit program is means-tested. Indiana’s program is means-tested and requires standardized testing. The same is true in Virginia. In Iowa, only lower-income students are eligible for the taxpayer-subsidized scholarship, and schools must be certified by the state Department of Education, which requires standardized testing as an indicator of quality.
Louisiana imposes an income limit and requires means-testing and standardized testing. New Hampshire requires means-testing. As does Rhode Island. And Oklahoma limits recipients to students attending failing public schools.
State after state — most of them conservative — either tries to target the aid to those in need or to make the schools accountable for their product. Many do both.
Georgia does neither.
Georgia is different in another way as well. In most states, students eligible for a private-school scholarship had to be attending a public school when first applying. Again, the intent was to give students in public school an option, not to create a tax subsidy for those already in private schools.
Yet when Georgia’s law was drafted, it required only that students be enrolled in a public school, not attend a public school. The distinction might seem subtle, but it was deception by design. The slight word change meant that private school students could enroll in a public school, with no intention of ever attending, and thus become eligible for scholarship money. And that’s just what they were encouraged to do. As one of the bill’s sponsors, state Rep. David Casas of Lilburn, was caught telling a group of parents:
“Some people felt a little bit weird about that; felt it was a little dishonest that they would take their child, enroll them in a public school and not have them actually attend, but all of a sudden they actually qualify for a scholarship. I’m telling you, we deliberately put the wording in there for that.”
This year, Casas is joining state Rep. Earl Ehrhart of Powder Springs in an effort to greatly expand the scholarship programs. The current tax-credit limit of $2,500 for a married couple would disappear. Instead, you could eliminate up to 75 percent of your state tax bill through donations to a private school scholarship. The annual total of such tax credits would increase to $80 million, a $29 million hit to an already inadequate state budget.
But their bill makes no effort to tighten how the scholarships are used.
Again, by design.
– Jay Bookman
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469 comments Add your comment
DannyX
February 6th, 2013
11:02 am
“The eonomic genius of Obama will soon cause every one to be low income so the argument is with out merit.”
Right, because things are so much worse now.
“This sucker could go down” were the good ol’ days.
MANGLER
February 6th, 2013
11:03 am
So the tax/tuition credit can now be applied to the tax funded private commercial schools that are now legally allowed to set up shop? Hmm, what could possibly be underhanded about this approach?
Joe Hussein Mama
February 6th, 2013
11:03 am
b. frog — “for what other reason than they care more than poor parents ?”
Caring is an individual trait, not a class-linked one.
Thomas Heyward Jr
February 6th, 2013
11:05 am
stands for decibels
February 6th, 2013
10:57 am
Eat TWO government school eggs………………and I will refrain from donating to my local private school for five years.
I’ll agree to eat a baker’s dozen in one sitting with nothing to wash ‘em down if you’d agree to crap exclusively in Kyle’s back yard, in exchange.
/drive-by
—————————
.
Done.
Eat 13 Government school eggs and I will grace this blog no more.
.
Deal?
I’m not holding my breath.
td
February 6th, 2013
11:06 am
indigo
February 6th, 2013
10:49 am
td
Rich parents are much more likley to be smart than poor ones.
Most of the rich earned their money by being very smart and very well educated.
Smart parents are more likely to have smart children.
This, of course, is not politically correct. However, political correctness will not make it go away.
To accept that statement as true then you have to accept that some people are incapable of learning and that smartness is inherited. I believe learning is about motivation and the willingness to work hard. Yes, the children of rich people have the advantage of being more likely to be motivated the correct way because their parents have become wealthy because they have the motivation. I have seen very little to no evidence that children of poor people are incapable of learning and can cite one example after another of poor children becoming very successful in education and life. The real disadvantage of the children of poor people is that they have to work harder and longer then the children of rich people to reach the same educational levels due to the inherent advantages the children of rich people have in motivation of the parent as well as more resources available to get the child to a certain level of success.
alex
February 6th, 2013
11:06 am
@ td, what if these parents have labored within the public system for years only to find that they just can’t make a dent in the rubbish, what if they live in atlanta or Clayton or Dekalb county where the system is so dysfunctional that the schools are loosing their accreditation. Who, in the end are these middle class people responsible for, Their own children ! That said we may have a moral need to support all children, but I will NOT put MY children in a public school because they need middle class familiies, my obligation is to MY family first !
Brosephus™
February 6th, 2013
11:06 am
WTF is “out of status”? Is that some new legal term the liberals have made up?
Out of status is the LEGAL term used to describe any foreign citizen in the US with no status. A person can enter the US legally as a tourist, violate their status and be considered “out of status”. Likewise, a person here on a work visa can file to become a legal resident and be considered “out of status” until their legal residence is approved. Liberals did not make that up, contrary to what you think. If you actually knew anything about immigration law, you would know that term has been around for a long time.
If I were you, I’d stick to running whatever kind of business it is that you own and leave the immigration stuff to the people that know what they’re doing. Just a bit of advice from someone with immigration knowledge. I’m sure you wouldn’t want me questioning how you run your business, right?
barking frog
February 6th, 2013
11:07 am
Jay
Because middle-class parents have more economic resources to help make a difference. Because they have more clout with politicians and know how to make a bureaucracy work. Because they can help support a good teacher and help oust a bad one. Because they usually have more flexibility at work and can take time off during the day to volunteer than parents working for a low hourly wage.
And for a lot more reasons as well.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
more money. more access to the good ol’ boy network.
I can accept that but these caring parents will remain in
the public school system anyway in spite of the scholarship
program because it’s the right thing to do.
Brosephus™
February 6th, 2013
11:09 am
frog: for what other reason than they care more than poor parents ?
Jay made that assertion, not me. Ask him. I simply think your statement was overly broad and non-provable. I don’t think income status can prove or disprove how much or how little a parent cares for their child. That’s just my view though.
My Money
February 6th, 2013
11:12 am
Its my tax dollars I should be able to direct it to my child’s school! Since I’m already paying for your child to go to school I should at least get a small break to send it to my child’s private school because the public schools in our area are terrible.
Granny Godzilla
February 6th, 2013
11:12 am
td
Jay,
There is a more fundamental attribute to the success of the children of rich people. Rich parents get it that education is the corner stone to being successful because more then likely it is way they built their own wealth in the first place. These parents understand that you read to your children when they are young. They understand that you teach your children how to add and subtract. They understand that you look at the kids school work in the early years, help them with their homework and they go to conferences with the objective to see what the weaknesses of their child is so that they can work with the child to improve them. The biggest thing they do is set the expectations for their children like: Your number one and only priority is being smart, C’s are not acceptable and college is not an option.
.
.
.
.
Sounds just like growing up in my parents household except we weren’t rich.
It also never occurred to us that we were poor.
To my father and mother an A- was unacceptable, study hour was 3 to 5 daily, every 2 weeks there was a forced march to the closest public library and school based extra-curricular activities were a must.
I am so grateful for their love and patience.
barking frog
February 6th, 2013
11:13 am
JoeHusseinMama
Caring is an individual trait, not a class-linked one.
…………………………………………………………….
Preaching to the choir, never took a school tax exemption
or any other tax exemption, except on a 1040, in my life.
Christian Conservative
February 6th, 2013
11:19 am
Still worried about a few taxpayer dollars going to legitimate schools… You libs are something else Jay….
Jay
February 6th, 2013
11:19 am
“Its my tax dollars I should be able to direct it to my child’s school!
Actually, no. You should not.
You get to direct your own personal money to your child’s school, if you wish to do so. Any control that you might exert on how your tax money is spent is exerted through your elected representatives.
Your claim is like saying the money I send to Uncle Sam every year is my money, and I should be able to insist that it’s spent on ME!
Southern Education Desk – Wednesday Reading List: Education News From Around The South
February 6th, 2013
11:19 am
[...] Georgia’s tuition tax credit law is the weakest in the nation, according to the National Conference of State Legislators. (AJC) [...]
barking frog
February 6th, 2013
11:20 am
Brosephus 11:09
Just trying to drag out the issues that the scholarship parents
should not be waved bye-bye and a good riddance salute.
The dollars are negligible and the public school costs are
improved. Jay and others seem to think these parents are
needed for the benefit of the poor kids.
Christian Conservative
February 6th, 2013
11:21 am
What about more important issues Jay? Such as obama killing whenever he feels like it with his drones.
barking frog
February 6th, 2013
11:22 am
Jay
Any control that you might exert on how your tax money is spent is exerted through your elected representatives.
……………………………………………………………………………
and that is exactly how this scholarship law was passed.
Jay
February 6th, 2013
11:23 am
$80 million a year is hardly “negligible,” barking.
RB from Gwinnett
February 6th, 2013
11:23 am
Bro, Thanks for the regurgitation of issues irrelevant to the discussion about all the ILLEGALS being here. We’re all aware of the issues of people overstaying their visa. We’re also aware that has NOTHING to do with the conversation about immigration reform.
You would have been just as well served to post your recipe for tofu salad, Bro. It’s as relevant as the garbage you posted.
td
February 6th, 2013
11:23 am
Brosephus™
February 6th, 2013
10:58 am
Too many kids from single-parent non-supportive families. This is not bashing single moms, just stating that (I have kin-folks who work in some of the departments that handle these areas…dfcs, for one) by and large many of these kids have come from some of the negative circumstances that are so badly stereo-typed.
There are many bad apples coming from two parent homes just as there are coming from single parent homes. I don’t buy the excuse of blaming things on the single parent.
I agree that there are bad children that come out of two parent households but there is a much greater risk of a child being a “bad apple” in a single parent household. There has been a great deal of research to show that the risk factors go up tremendously for children of a single parent to end up in prison, to become sexually active at a younger age, to do drugs and to drop out of school.
Now just look at the situation from an educational prospective. If you are a single working parent then you have to work, come home and prepare all the meals, wash all the clothes, pay all the bills, get the children their baths and get their clothes reasy for the next day. How much time does that leave to do homework with the kids? How much time does that leave to talk to the children about what they learned in class that day? Do you have the time to go to conferences and when the teacher points out a weakness of your child where is the time to implement any strategies to turn the weakness around?
My Money
February 6th, 2013
11:25 am
Jay:
If everyone in this country played on an equal field by paying taxes then I would agree. Otherwise I like the fact that GA allows me to direct some of my money to my child’s school! If you government types could provide a quality location in locales (which you can’t) then I wouldn’t have to spend money on top of my taxes to get my kids a quality education. Until you can do this then stop complaining, run for office to institute all your “great ideas” or move! You are part of the problem not the solution. We can not continue to have 40-50 percent (probably less) of the population paying 100% of the taxes!
AT
February 6th, 2013
11:25 am
I don’t understand the cynicism and animosity towards those who participate in this program. I spend a ton of money in property tax for schools my kids do not attend. I am taxed by the state on the tuition money that I spend to send them to private school. I have not done so yet, but intend on participating in this program this year at our school, even though, BY LAW, my kids cannot benefit in any way from it. Our school seeks those in our community who could not otherwise afford to come to our school, kids that would be going to bad public schools otherwise.
How does this make me lazy and a coward?
If you think people are cheating the system, prove it and prosecute. Otherwise, don’t advocate the destruction of a program that is helping kids get a good education that they would not otherwise get from the state.
godless heathen - owner of many things he does not need
February 6th, 2013
11:25 am
What’s the graduation rate in this state? I think I saw where it’s about 50%. In some areas 2/3 of the kids don’t finish high school.
Your chances of any success in today’s world is very slim without a high school diploma, yet many, many kids are not even getting that.
The taxpayers provide that high school education for free to anyone that will show up and show a little bit of effort. Yet many turn their back on the offer. I get kinda sick of hearing about how poorly the schools are doing when it doesn’t make a damn if the “students” don’t finish school anyway.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
February 6th, 2013
11:25 am
Jay and others seem to think these parents are
needed for the benefit of the poor kids.
Isn’t that one of the selling points of democracy, that we all learn and benefit by another’s experience?
My Money
February 6th, 2013
11:25 am
“”quality education”
In the middle
February 6th, 2013
11:26 am
Joe,
Let me try tp make it a little simpler for you to understand.
Don’t blame rich people meams just that. Do not blame your success or lack of it on how much money somebody else has. Sheesh, talk about only seeing what you want to..
Christian Conservative
February 6th, 2013
11:26 am
Jay
“Its my tax dollars I should be able to direct it to my child’s school!
Thank goodness we have politicians here in Georgia willing to work for the tax payers. They listen when we tell them our public school system is failing and come up with alternatives. Of course you far leftys don’t like the alternative so suck it up. Get use to it….
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
February 6th, 2013
11:27 am
What about more important issues Jay? Such as obama killing whenever he feels like it with his drones.
Too funny!
Joe Hussein Mama
February 6th, 2013
11:27 am
My Money — “Its my tax dollars I should be able to direct it to my child’s school!”
Why?
“Since I’m already paying for your child to go to school I should at least get a small break to send it to my child’s private school because the public schools in our area are terrible.”
It’s really quite simple. EVERYONE pays property taxes. Those tax receipts fund schools in your district. It doesn’t matter if you have kids or not — you’re paying to support the SCHOOLS, not the kids.
Now, if you want your kid to go to the local public schools, great. He or she can go for free because we all paid to support that school. However, if you *don’t* want your kid going there, we’re all *still* going to be paying for those schools, and that includes you.
You want to send your kid to a private school? Fine. Pay for it yourself. But don’t look to others to pay your share of the costs for public schools. If you find private schools too expensive, then maybe you should make some sacrifices in order to put your kids in the school that you want.
Either way, it’s still not our job to subsidize YOUR choices.
Granny Godzilla
February 6th, 2013
11:27 am
Christian Conservative
February 6th, 2013
11:21 am
What about more important issues Jay? Such as obama killing whenever he feels like it with his drones.
.
.
.
.
I bet you can just feel him targeting you……
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Incoming!
Brosephus™
February 6th, 2013
11:28 am
frog
Ok. Personally, I think this particular program sucks. I also think vouchers suck. If one really believes in the community in which they live, they should not have any problem with paying the taxes necessary to keep their community thriving.
I’ve paid taxes into the school system for almost 10 years, and this fall will be the first time I’ll have a child that’s eligible to attend school. I have a few private schools to tour over the next week or so to determine whether my daughter will attend public or private school. If I decide to put her in private school, then I’m not going to ask Georgians to subsidize her education at all. Georgians are not the one making that decision, so why should they pay for it? At the same time, if I put her in private school, I still want the public school system to properly function in order to attract more people to the area that can add to the growth and prosperity of my community.
td
February 6th, 2013
11:28 am
alex
February 6th, 2013
11:06 am
@ td, what if these parents have labored within the public system for years only to find that they just can’t make a dent in the rubbish, what if they live in atlanta or Clayton or Dekalb county where the system is so dysfunctional that the schools are loosing their accreditation. Who, in the end are these middle class people responsible for, Their own children ! That said we may have a moral need to support all children, but I will NOT put MY children in a public school because they need middle class familiies, my obligation is to MY family first !
1: I would say that these parents did not work hard enough to organize and demand changes.
2: I would say that if a parent is works with their child, supplements the school curriculum and sets the right expectations for their child then it does not matter where the child attends school because that child is going to be successful.
Dumb and Dumber
February 6th, 2013
11:30 am
Keep beating the drum as I think more oversight of this is necessary. But get one thing straight, the program has not received more than $13 million in a year (not the $51 mil that it is shooting for), so we are discussing $13 mil, not $51 mil. That’s about a Go Fish program, legal bills for a year in Dekalb county to cover all the questionable/legal activities of the CEO and school board, locks for the jails (that take more than a year to install?!), a fraction of the amount of Medicaid and Medicare money ripped off through doctors who operate out of PO Boxes, less than the amount of social security checks fraudulently cashed by people in the state, etc. Ata $19.x billion dollar state budget, is that .0065%? That’s similar to fighting over $50 billion in federal government cuts over the next decade when the fed government will spend $35-$40 TRILLION. Nice riff, but we aren’t even talking a penny, but a fraction of a penny.
Christian Conservative
February 6th, 2013
11:30 am
I’m just amazed that libs don’t want parents to have a choice. They simply want parents forced to send our kids to failing public schools… They have a War on Children!!!
RB from Gwinnett
February 6th, 2013
11:30 am
““Its my tax dollars I should be able to direct it to my child’s school!”
You’ll always lose that argument with liberals. They want every child to receive the exact same education in identical schools. You taking your kid somewhere else might give them an advantage over Jay’s kid and that’s not “fair”. It has nothing to do with the education, it has everything to do with who controls the money and the liberals ideas of what’s fair. The education is never part of the discussion.
Brosephus™
February 6th, 2013
11:31 am
We’re all aware of the issues of people overstaying their visa. We’re also aware that has NOTHING to do with the conversation about immigration reform.
RB
You asked a question and I gave you an answer. I guess that, since you didn’t like the answer, you go off on a tangent totally unrelated to your question. Here’s a hint for you in the future. Don’t ask a question that you don’t want answered.
Hell, if you knew all that stuff, as you claimed, why did you ask about what “out of status” meant? I try not to talk about people, but your response to me was about the most stupid one I’ve ever seen here. You shifted goalposts so fast that your current position isn’t even in the same galaxy of your original question. I’m guessing your business that you own has to be a goalpost moving company or something related to moving things….
barking frog
February 6th, 2013
11:31 am
Jay
$80 million a year is hardly “negligible,” barking.
………………………………………………………
maybe not in your economic strata, Jay…
My Money
February 6th, 2013
11:32 am
Joe Hussesin:
You are not subsidizing my kids tuition! In fact I’m probably subsidizing yours! You and Jay ignore the fact that many in Georgia refuse to put their kids in public school because “they suck” especially in our area. So until GA can provide a quality education in all locales then your argument doesn’t hold water!
barking frog
February 6th, 2013
11:34 am
Brosephus
and if you feel it necessary for her well being to attend
private school but can only afford it through this program
would you let your pride stand in her way ?
Brosephus™
February 6th, 2013
11:34 am
td @ 11:23
A good parent makes the time. A bad parent does not. It doesn’t matter whether there is one parent in the home or two. I was brought up in the community that is suposedly beseiged by the one-parent problem. I have seen just as many bad apples come from a two parent home as I’ve seen come from a one parent home. I have also seen just as many successes from both.
The number of parents under the roof has less bearing on how active the parent is in the child’s life.
Logical Dude
February 6th, 2013
11:35 am
“In Arizona,. . . does Rhode Island. And Oklahoma . . . ”
If ever we needed a chart, it’s to eliminate these three paragraphs.
State . . . Means testing. . . Low Income. . . standardized testing.
AZ . . . . Y. . . . . . . . . . . . . Y . . . . . .. . .. Y
GA . . . . . N . . . . . . . . . . . .. .N . . . . . . . . N
(etc)
Joe Hussein Mama
February 6th, 2013
11:35 am
in the middle — “Joe, Let me try tp make it a little simpler for you to understand.”
No, let me make is simpler for YOU to understand.
I understand you just fine what you’re saying. I simply don’t AGREE with you.
“Don’t blame rich people meams just that.”
Then don’t blame poor people while you’re whining about rich people getting blamed.
“Do not blame your success or lack of it on how much money somebody else has.”
Do not make up arguments and attribute them to others. I neither said nor suggested any such thing.
“Sheesh, talk about only seeing what you want to..”
Sheesh, talk about being both dishonest and misleading.
td
February 6th, 2013
11:35 am
Christian Conservative
February 6th, 2013
11:26 am
Jay
“Its my tax dollars I should be able to direct it to my child’s school!
Thank goodness we have politicians here in Georgia willing to work for the tax payers. They listen when we tell them our public school system is failing and come up with alternatives. Of course you far leftys don’t like the alternative so suck it up. Get use to it…
I am just as conservative (if not more) then you are my friend but what you and other so called conservative parents and our legislatures are doing is NOT helping the state as a whole for our future. You (generic) are abandoning your conservative values and allowing a whole large segment of our population to become dependent on government as a lifestyle by not using your influence to demand real education reform for everyone and accountability for all to become self sufficient. You (generic) are taking the easy way out and are only concerned about your own personal short term gains and are being lazy because you do not have to be as involved or a good check to hold the educational establishment accountable.
Joe Hussein Mama
February 6th, 2013
11:37 am
C. Conservative — “I’m just amazed that libs don’t want parents to have a choice.”
Lies make baby jesus cry.
They simply want parents forced to send our kids to failing public schools…”
See above.
“They have a War on Children!!!”
Three lies in a row. Wonder how that’s going to look on your Permanent Record?
Corbin Sharpe. I think, therefore I am...I think.
February 6th, 2013
11:37 am
My Money
February 6th, 2013
11:32 am
And why do public schools in Georgia “suck”? Because our “esteemed” GOP leadership has been systematically siphoning money away from education. The less money to work with, the poorer the system. privatizing education is no way to provide education to all of our people. Fund public education as it should be funded and watch our kids learn.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
February 6th, 2013
11:37 am
Joe Hussesin:
You are not subsidizing my kids tuition! In fact I’m probably subsidizing yours!
He’s already said that he doesn’t have any kids.
I hope for your kid’s sake that your lack of reading comprehension isn’t an inherited trait.
Brosephus™
February 6th, 2013
11:38 am
frog
If I determine that it’s necessary for her to attend private school, I’ll bust my ass if it means taking on two full time jobs to ensure that her schooling is paid for. I’d do that, or I would find a way to move to a better school district and pay for a private tutor. I don’t see why any other taxpayer should have to subsidize my choice to put her in a private school.
stands for decibels
February 6th, 2013
11:38 am
Almost forgot about this little gem. ““I hope no one uses the term ‘illegal immigrants’ here today, Our citizens are, the people in this country are not illegal, they are out of status
RB, rather than complaining about John Conyers, perhaps you should complain to the “outreach arm of a top GOP super PAC” who already have strongly recommended such usage. per [emphasis mine]
http://atr.rollcall.com/gop-group-urges-tonally-sensitive-immigration-messaging/
When talking about immigrants:
Do use “undocumented immigrant” when referring to those here without documentation
Don’t use the word “illegals” or “aliens”
Don’t use the term “anchor baby”
(oh, and Jay already blogged about that^^ but I’ll try not to resort to teat-for-tattery and call you a “dunce” because, well, I’m a superior human being, I guess.)
——————-
Done.
Eat 13 Government school eggs and I will grace this blog no more.
.
Deal?
I’m not holding my breath.
Shrug. 13 scrambled eggs = a 910 kcal meal, a bit tedious and bland but no big deal for lunch or dinner on an empty stomach. I could work something out with my kid’s school-lunch lady if you really want to see this rhetorical silliness through.
Ask Jay for my email address and send me a polite note with the words “jay bookman stunt” in the subject line, and I’ll be happy to begin working out the logistics, under the condition that we both agree to maintain blog anonymity going forward.
Scott
February 6th, 2013
11:39 am
Jay,
I read the names of the sponsors of this bill but I doubt they authored this legislation just as I doubt the legislators in the other states you mentioned actually wrote their state’s versions. This has ALEC written all over it. Could you please shine some light on who actually authored Georgia’s version? I am curious to know and will check back for, hopefully, a response.
Thank you
Jefferson
February 6th, 2013
11:39 am
The court system is the answer, keep up the pressure.
The other half of your brain.
February 6th, 2013
11:40 am
If I were you, I’d stick to running whatever kind of business it is that you own and leave the immigration stuff to the people that know what they’re doing. Just a bit of advice from someone with immigration knowledge. I’m sure you wouldn’t want me questioning how you run your business, right?
SoCoBro, With 11 Million illegals in the country maybe you need to find another job, as it seems to me that your not very good at it.
In the middle
February 6th, 2013
11:41 am
Again, not blaming poor people, blaming behavior.
Definition of BEHAVIOR
1
a : the manner of conducting oneself
b : anything that an organism does involving action and response to stimulation
c : the response of an individual, group, or species to its environment
2
: the way in which someone behaves; also : an instance of such behavior
3
: the way in which something functions or operates
Joe Hussein Mama
February 6th, 2013
11:41 am
My Money — “Joe Hussesin:”
Yes?
“You are not subsidizing my kids tuition!”
I most certainly AM if you’re getting a tax break for sending your kids to private school.
“In fact I’m probably subsidizing yours!”
In fact, you are not. I don’t *have* any kids, which means that I pay property taxes and don’t use the public schools at all.
“You and Jay ignore the fact that many in Georgia refuse to put their kids in public school because “they suck” especially in our area.”
I don’t ignore it at all. You can put your kids in private school for whatever reason you want. But be an adult and PAY FOR IT YOURSELF.
“So until GA can provide a quality education in all locales then your argument doesn’t hold water!”
My argument holds plenty of water. You don’t get a pass on your taxes just because the public schools don’t suit you and your spawn. We ALL pay taxes to support public schools — even you. And you DON’T get a kickback or a deduction if you don’t have kids IN the local public schools.
Grow up.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
February 6th, 2013
11:41 am
SoCoBro, With 11 Million illegals in the country maybe you need to find another job, as it seems to me that your not very good at it.
Reagan’s 1986 amnesty program says, “What?”
barking frog
February 6th, 2013
11:42 am
Brosephus
I don’t see why any other taxpayer should have to subsidize my choice to put her in a private school.
………………………………………………………………………………
the same reason they should pay for her medical care if
you can’t afford it.
DannyX
February 6th, 2013
11:42 am
“I’m just amazed that libs don’t want parents to have a choice. They simply want parents forced to send our kids to failing public schools… They have a War on Children!!!”
Wow, that is some drama, Christian Conservative.
How about you tell us where the money is going. Is the money going to the northern suburbs with their excellent public schools, or is it going to the area where the failing public schools are?
Whats that? You can’t say because the program is secret by design and that information is unavailable? How convenient.
Who would Jesus con?
Keep Up the Good Fight!
February 6th, 2013
11:44 am
SoCoBro, With 11 Million illegals in the country maybe you need to find another job, as it seems to me that your not very good at it.
Hmmmm…. This seems to be a derivation of the “don’t blame Bush, blame the black guy” theme.
Joe Hussein Mama
February 6th, 2013
11:44 am
T. O. Half — “SoCoBro, With 11 Million illegals in the country maybe you need to find another job, as it seems to me that your not very good at it.”
Given that he’s working at a Port of Entry and not out on some stretch of road-and-fence along the Mexican border, I’d say that your weak attempt at an insult is both t3h LAME and t3h FAIL.
The other half of your brain.
February 6th, 2013
11:45 am
Corbin Sharpe. I think, therefore I am…I think.
February 6th, 2013
11:37 am
My Money
February 6th, 2013
11:32 am
And why do public schools in Georgia “suck”? Because our “esteemed” GOP leadership has been systematically siphoning money away from education. The less money to work with, the poorer the system. privatizing education is no way to provide education to all of our people. Fund public education as it should be funded and watch our kids learn.
Corbin, I wish that were true but it has been proven over & over that throwing money at a problem isn’t always the answer.
I could be wrong but I believe that the USA spends more per pupil than most countries but we are way down there on the smarts list.
Brosephus™
February 6th, 2013
11:45 am
The other half…
If I ever decide to go off of what “seems” to you, I would likely do the opposite of what you suggest based on your posting history. Thanks for the suggestion though. I guess you think I’m some kind of “Super Negro” like Obama or something in that I’d personally be capable of stopping the supposed 11 million people in this country without documentation and/or status. Especially considering that many of those people entered this country long before I began working in immigration.
How about you see if you can tag along with some immigration officers and/or inspectors to see what we actually do on the job? Maybe someone will let you test your interview skills to see if you can determine whether a person is telling the truth or lying to you and catch them in that lie in a span of seconds and/or minutes. I’d love to have you try to do my job for a week and see how your performance stacks up to mine.
My Money
February 6th, 2013
11:46 am
Kamchuck:
My reading comprehension is just fine, which is why I can afford to send my kids to private school. Joe never said he didn’t have kids in the post I was replying too.
Joe Hussein Mama
February 6th, 2013
11:46 am
in the middle — “Again, not blaming poor people, blaming behavior.”
Rejected. Maybe when you’ve thought out your argument a little better and have managed to exclude all those references to wealth, “the poor’ and “the rich” in it, then I might agree with you. Until then, sorry, nothing doing.
kayaker 71
February 6th, 2013
11:47 am
Bookman,
So I am a liar, am I? Go to http://www.cfcsra.org/Resources/391.pdf or simply Google GA Bill 1133and access the first site. Go to paragraph #5 where it clearly states, ” No one will receive aid from this bill whose yearly income exceeds 85K.” I think even you might be able to find this. And quit calling me names.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
February 6th, 2013
11:47 am
I guess you think I’m some kind of “Super Negro” like Obama or something…
I thought that the PC term was, “magic negro.”
The other half of your brain.
February 6th, 2013
11:47 am
Joe Hussein Mama
February 6th, 2013
11:44 am
T. O. Half — “SoCoBro, With 11 Million illegals in the country maybe you need to find another job, as it seems to me that your not very good at it.”
Given that he’s working at a Port of Entry and not out on some stretch of road-and-fence along the Mexican border, I’d say that your weak attempt at an insult is both t3h LAME and t3h FAIL.
Maybe if he watched the Port of Entry a little closer instead of his computer screen there wouldn’t be 11 million illegals here. Just sayin.
alex
February 6th, 2013
11:49 am
Bottom Line: public schools paid by everyone, availabel to every kid, donations to private schools outside of taxes should be available to all students going to try to go to private schools and are, by law,althogh the money should go to those who are poorer, reality is few poor children get this money and against the law some schools direct this money to wealthier parents ( we agree this is illegal). Reality check , how many poorer families have a couple of thousand dollars to invest with appropriate tax break in their child’s education..?Program probably really depends on wealthier parents anyway to fund and many of these are sending their kids to private school, thus they are being charitable, thus a deduction, but NO, this is a moral obligation, …no? Sounds like a Danny arguement, my appologies!
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
February 6th, 2013
11:49 am
Joe never said he didn’t have kids in the post I was replying too[sic].
I didn’t claim that was where he made his assertion.
The other half of your brain.
February 6th, 2013
11:49 am
Kayaker, Why are you stirring the pot with facts.
Paul
February 6th, 2013
11:50 am
“What about more important issues Jay? Such as obama killing whenever he feels like it with his drones.”
There goes the Christian bearing false witness again.
on topic, as I’m supposed to say something on the topic: once again, the shenanigans in Georgia make me realize that, while Republicans do some unethical things in Texas, it could always be worse.
Brosephus™
February 6th, 2013
11:50 am
Maybe if he watched the Port of Entry a little closer instead of his computer screen there wouldn’t be 11 million illegals here. Just sayin.
Maybe if you understood such basic concepts as OFF DAYS or work schedules, you wouldn’t make such an ass of yourself. Then again, why quit doing something that you’re great at doing.
Brosephus™
February 6th, 2013
11:51 am
Kamchak
You know I’ve never quite grasped the concept of being PC.
Christian Conservative
February 6th, 2013
11:52 am
DannyX
“I’m just amazed that libs don’t want parents to have a choice. They simply want parents forced to send our kids to failing public schools… They have a War on Children!!!”
Wow, that is some drama, Christian Conservative. Yeah about like the phony wars you libs came up with during the campaign….
How about you tell us where the money is going. Is the money going to the northern suburbs with their excellent public schools, or is it going to the area where the failing public schools are? Its going to all public schools. The fact that you libs libs don’t understand is that you can’t simply throw money at a problem and think it will disappear. i.e. the federal gubmint….
Whats that? You can’t say because the program is secret by design and that information is unavailable? How convenient. My tax returns should be unavailable.. You or any other lib has no business knowing how I file my returns and what credits and deductions I take…
The other half of your brain.
February 6th, 2013
11:53 am
How about you see if you can tag along with some immigration officers and/or inspectors to see what we actually do on the job? Maybe someone will let you test your interview skills to see if you can determine whether a person is telling the truth or lying to you and catch them in that lie in a span of seconds and/or minutes. I’d love to have you try to do my job for a week and see how your performance stacks up to mine.
Bro, And how many did you interview in the last half hour? Do you think that by calling yourself a Negro that we shouldn’t challenge you? Play cards much?
Christian Conservative
February 6th, 2013
11:53 am
Paul
February 6th, 2013
11:50 am
“What about more important issues Jay? Such as obama killing whenever he feels like it with his drones.”
There goes the Christian bearing false witness again.
on topic, as I’m supposed to say something on the topic: once again, the shenanigans in Georgia make me realize that, while Republicans do some unethical things in Texas, it could always be worse.
Yes such as wasting millions in tax payer dollars like dem controlled state legislatures do…
The other half of your brain.
February 6th, 2013
11:55 am
Brosephus™
February 6th, 2013
11:50 am
Maybe if he watched the Port of Entry a little closer instead of his computer screen there wouldn’t be 11 million illegals here. Just sayin.
Maybe if you understood such basic concepts as OFF DAYS or work schedules, you wouldn’t make such an ass of yourself. Then again, why quit doing something that you’re great at doing.
Bro, Seeing as how your on here almost everyday you must be a pert time employee, nice try dude. The dumb libs on here may buy it but the rest don’t.
Joe Hussein Mama
February 6th, 2013
11:55 am
T. O. Half — “Maybe if he watched the Port of Entry a little closer instead of his computer screen there wouldn’t be 11 million illegals here. Just sayin.”
Then get a job in his section and show them how it’s done if you’re do all-fired good at it.
Your bleating reminds me of John McCain in the last few days of the 2008 campaign, when he plaintively asserted that he knew ‘how to get Bin Laden.’
Paul
February 6th, 2013
11:58 am
Christian Conservative 11:53
I specifically said ‘Texas.”
Was that deflection, or was it ignoring the mote in your eye?
Since you say you’re supposed to call out sin and condemn unBiblical behavior, shouldn’t you take a time-out and go stand in front of a mirror?
комиссар (Occupation)
February 6th, 2013
11:58 am
Half brain: “Maybe if he watched the Port of Entry a little closer instead of his computer screen there wouldn’t be 11 million illegals here”
The reason there are 11 million illegals here is because American capital wanted those borders nice and porous, before the issue became a cultural-war issue after the economic downturn. They wanted it that way, and that’s why in the 1990s American big business, working through one of the two big business capitalist US political parties, under Bill Clinton, got NAFTA and other similar trade policies green-lighted with minimal real public dialogue over the objections and warnings of people all across the political spectrum.
So if you’ve got a problem with 11 million illegals, take it up with your capitalist ruling elite who moved ahead with policies that made it inevitable without much concern for whether people like you liked it or not.
Brosephus™
February 6th, 2013
11:58 am
simply Google GA Bill 1133and access the first site.
Done.
Go to paragraph #5 where it clearly states, ” No one will receive aid from this bill whose yearly income exceeds 85K.”
http://www.goalscholarship.org/about_goal/page/frequently-asked-questions
5. What is the maximum amount that an individual can contribute to GOAL in exchange for a Georgia education expense tax credit?
Each calendar year, until the annual cap on available education expense credits is reached:
•A married couple filing a joint return can re-direct up to $2,500 of their income tax payment to GOAL.
•A married couple filing a separate return can re-direct up to $1,250 of their income tax payments to GOAL.
•An individual can re-direct up to $1,000 of his or her income tax payments to GOAL.
Don’t see a limit there in that part…
barking frog
February 6th, 2013
11:59 am
the other half of your brain 11:55
the news of cell phones and tablets has not arrived in
your neck of the woods I see….
The other half of your brain.
February 6th, 2013
11:59 am
Joe Hussein Mama
February 6th, 2013
11:55 am
T. O. Half — “Maybe if he watched the Port of Entry a little closer instead of his computer screen there wouldn’t be 11 million illegals here. Just sayin.”
Then get a job in his section and show them how it’s done if you’re do all-fired good at it.
Your bleating reminds me of John McCain in the last few days of the 2008 campaign, when he plaintively asserted that he knew ‘how to get Bin Laden.’
Joey, I’m retired and don’t need another job as I have done fairly well for myself. I love the way you libs stick together and then to compare me to a war hero is an honor, sorry I can’t say the same about you.
captguitarman
February 6th, 2013
12:00 pm
Great column. It looks like, walks like, and quacks like a duck, and there is just no way around it. Will it be fixed? I see we now have a Pub/Con super majority in the Senate, which is not great news for any one in Georgia, so who knows?
Kyle’s article about it last week pretty much just summed it all up by saying that if laws are being broken, we have prosecutors you can report that to. That is true about many laws that are violated, but a law narrowly written, with language that it shall be against the law to provide any information about how it is being executed or enforced (that would be a red flag to most people), and with the intent to facilitate “illegal” results, as your article so clearly and devastatingly pointed out, is a law that needs to be changed. It is not law that needs a “double down” with increased funding, which is unfortunately so Gold Dome, regardless of the party in power at any given the time.
Like so much that is done there, this was narrow legislation to create a narrow benefit for a narrow interest group. . Hopefully, ethics reform will take deep root in the coming months and the culture there will finally begin to improve, so that Georgia can begin to improve as as state for all of its citizens.
DannyX
February 6th, 2013
12:00 pm
“My tax returns should be unavailable.. You or any other lib has no business knowing how I file my returns and what credits and deductions I take…”
I don’t recall asking to see your tax returns, Christian Conservative. Georgia could easily tell us where the money is going without jeopardizing anyone’s privacy. They keep everything secret to protect their con game.
Who would Jesus con?
The other half of your brain.
February 6th, 2013
12:00 pm
barking frog
February 6th, 2013
11:59 am
the other half of your brain 11:55
the news of cell phones and tablets has not arrived in
your neck of the woods I see….
Froggy, And the tooth fairy is coming tonight.
Brosephus™
February 6th, 2013
12:01 pm
Bro, Seeing as how your on here almost everyday you must be a pert time employee, nice try dude. The dumb libs on here may buy it but the rest don’t.
Seeing that you have no idea of what my actual detail is, your melanin envy is showing. I’m not selling anything for anybody to buy. If I wanted you to know who I was and was able to let you see my records, you’d know that I do my job quite well. Then again, you’re just some anonymous internet twit, so I don’t really give a crap as to what you think. Have a nice day!!!!
barking frog
February 6th, 2013
12:02 pm
the other half of your brain
Froggy, And the tooth fairy is coming tonight.
…………………………………………………….
I have no need to know of your nighttime activities……
Jay
February 6th, 2013
12:03 pm
kayarkr, I have twice now given you links to the bill itself, as passed into law, and challenged you to cite any mention of this imaginary $85K limit. I have previously given you links to documents from the state Department of Revenue and Department of Education, both making clear that there is no such income limit in the law.
If you continue to cite this spurious $85K claim, despite being given ample and overwhelming evidence it is wrong, then yes, to use your term, you are a liar.
moonbat betty
February 6th, 2013
12:05 pm
Is it lunch time yet?
I wanna see sfd eat 13 eggs!!
SFD SFD SFD!
Paul
February 6th, 2013
12:05 pm
Brosephus – kayaker
Jay already dealt with the ‘cap’ in a prior thread (a couple of them, actually) detailing the workarounds schools, parents and politicians use to circumvent it.
All together now: “OUR GOVERNOR IS NOT UPHOLDING THE LAW! HE DECIDES WHICH LAWS HE’LL OBEY AND WHICH HE’LL IGNORE!!!”
Or does that work only for Pres Obama?
Joe Hussein Mama
February 6th, 2013
12:05 pm
T. O. Half — “Joey, I’m retired and don’t need another job”
Clearly you already have another one — counting illegals.
BTW, were you going to say anything when you saw those 11 million entering the country, or did you just keep your mouth shut because ‘they have people to take care of all that?’
“as I have done fairly well for myself.”
So you say. I see no reason to believe you or trust anything you’ve said here today.
“I love the way you libs stick together and then to compare me to a war hero is an honor”
No, I’m comparing you unfavorably to a desperate old man who was desperately trying to keep from losing an election. If you want to call him a war hero, that’s jake with me, but it wasn’t the war hero who was jabbering about ‘oh, I know how to get Bin Laden’ in the last few days of the campaign — when it became obvious that he was going to lose.
“sorry I can’t say the same about you.”
You say a lot of things without merit. What’s it to me if you choose to keep your yap shut for a change?
Paul
February 6th, 2013
12:06 pm
Cap? Sorry – if I recall correctly, it was designation of donation.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
February 6th, 2013
12:08 pm
And the tooth fairy is coming tonight.
Maybe she’ll just be breathing hard.
indigo
February 6th, 2013
12:08 pm
Jay, Brospheus
Looks like Genetics is offensive to your politically correct hearts.
Brosephus™
February 6th, 2013
12:08 pm
Paul
I posted the information from GOAL earlier, and even their site says they have voluntary recommendations on the program. I’ve seen nothing that shows a concrete or defined income cap. With the way the legislations makes it criminal to release information, I don’t think we’ll ever see that information either.
Brosephus™
February 6th, 2013
12:09 pm
Looks like Genetics is offensive to your politically correct hearts.
You obviously didn’t see my post to Bruno on what I think about genetics.
Doggone/GA
February 6th, 2013
12:11 pm
“You’ll always lose that argument with liberals. They want every child to receive the exact same education in identical schools”
You lie
Doggone/GA
February 6th, 2013
12:14 pm
“I most certainly AM if you’re getting a tax break for sending your kids to private school”
You are (and so am I) either way. We are both paying to put other peoples kids through school…since neither of us has any children of our own.
Paul
February 6th, 2013
12:15 pm
Brosephus
That Texas politics comparison to Georgia politics? Sometimes it’s the difference between the smell of week-old garbage and ten-day-old garbage.
RB from Gwinnett
“You’ll always lose that argument with liberals. They want every child to receive the exact same education in identical schools”
You calling Texas a liberal-controlled, Democratic state? Really?
Our state constitution guarantees pretty much just that. Just had a major court case decided that said Texas lawmakers were violating the law and constitution by not ensuring equitable funding and resources between districts.
One more bumper sticker slogan bites the dust.
Until next time -
Doggone/GA
February 6th, 2013
12:15 pm
“Corbin, I wish that were true but it has been proven over & over that throwing money at a problem isn’t always the answer.”
Maybe so, but taking money AWAY is SURE not the answer