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
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
February 6th, 2013
3:35 pm
I wonder how many SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS! send their kids to private schools.
barking frog
February 6th, 2013
3:37 pm
0311
You guys are laughable !
…………………………………………………………
and for your amusement, you return daily………………..
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
February 6th, 2013
3:38 pm
Keep Up the Good Fight!
February 6th, 2013
3:22 pm
Absolutely…all tax related services…it makes no sense that BO doesn’t have a spine to push cuts anywhere.
The sequestration was his bright idea along with others.
Penetta is full of crap. I have zero clue how our security would be compromised by such modest cuts. Yeah I guess some jobs may be threatened but someone is going to have to sacrifice….
Heck we can’t even audit the defense department….how do we know what they are really spending and suggesting that there is not at least 10% waste is ridiculous.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
February 6th, 2013
3:39 pm
Kam, the ones to worry about are the DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION who have escaped from those conservative kitchen prisons.
Granny Godzilla
February 6th, 2013
3:41 pm
Keep
Damn straight!
deegee
February 6th, 2013
3:42 pm
If GA repubs really wanted underprivileged kids going to their private schools then they would set up scholarships and fund them directly. They wouldn’t have to enact a law that throws the donations in a big pot so that someone else can dole it out. And they wonder why we have big government.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
February 6th, 2013
3:43 pm
The sequestration was his bright idea along with others
Well I could be wrong but I suspect it was not his idea, he wanted to cut a deal. And of course, you are blotivating about “spine to push tax cuts” while ignoring the cuts already approved but typical for you. Why don’t you start with the truth and have some credibility.
As for cutting govt waste, all for it. I say hire the auditors, judges, prosecutes, and law enforcement to go after those who try to defraud the govt. Update regulations and systems to identify and cut waste.
getalife
February 6th, 2013
3:43 pm
“Eric Cantor: I ‘Care Very Deeply About Women’” HP
Prove it.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
February 6th, 2013
3:44 pm
Keep
I see that we have been invaded by a JERRY SPRINGER SHOW guest. To qualify for that honor, merely type “president trillions” over and over again every day.
American Crossroads targets Ashley Judd
February 6th, 2013
3:45 pm
Mitch McConnell must be worried….
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/conservative-crossroads-targets-ashley-judd-144921904–politics.html
Paul
February 6th, 2013
3:46 pm
Lucifer
I took a look at the Paul Broun info on Maddow.
And these guys are worried about Sharia law when they promote minority views of some Christians as the guiding principles of how they conduct their politics?!!?
Amazing….
TBS
February 6th, 2013
3:50 pm
Frog
Great points on the Founding Fathers, Jefferson in particular.
This notion that one can not appreciate the efforts and framework that was put together and also call out the hypocrisies is poppy cock.
The one whining about revsionist history hasn’t countered with anything except, well a whine.
As great as some of those men where, who knows how much anguish could have been avoided over the years if they had walked a little more of the talk.
getalife
February 6th, 2013
3:56 pm
“There are no good options” to deal with the situation, he continued, saying 46,000 department jobs would be at risk and more damaging measures in coming months could include:
– Furloughing as many as 800,000 civilian workers for up to 22 days;
– Cutting back on Army training and maintenance, which would reduce readiness of combat brigades outside Afghanistan;
– Shrinking naval operations; and,
– Reducing Air Force flying hours and weapons systems maintenance.
“This is not a game. This is reality,” Panetta said, his voice rising. “These steps would seriously damage a fragile American economy and they would degrade our ability to respond to crisis precisely at a time of rising instability across the globe.”CNN
TBS
February 6th, 2013
3:56 pm
Paul
If Broun enters the race for Senator, I can’t wait for his commercial depicting the earth as being 6000 years old. He riding a dinosaur down 316 from Athens toward Atlanta shouting the “liberals are coming, the liberals are coming”
Keep Up the Good Fight!
February 6th, 2013
3:59 pm
Kam, “President Trillions” is one of those dog whistle calls for the bumper stick crowd that attend those shows. Its like WND first calling Obama’s wedding ring a sign of his “secret muslim” background and then WND now claiming its “secret gay”.
Yell “Benghazi” in the mirror 3 times and Oirly Tates and Donald Trump will be at your door in a week.
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
February 6th, 2013
3:59 pm
KAMCHAK
What exactly has he cut and in which spending areas?
That Black Guy
February 6th, 2013
3:59 pm
DannyX
February 6th, 2013
3:11 pm
“Are you saying that my first post on a topic usually starts with an insult?
Really?”
TBG, you are certainly no saint around here, – never said I was. What you don’t find me doing is the “You LIBS are _________”. I may go after a *particular* person because of something they posted, but not a broad brush insult of a group because of a political difference.
you can be just as insulting as the rest of us. – See above.
In fact when I first started to post here regularly I thought you were one of the worst offenders. – You are intitled to your opinion. I disagree.
For the most part I stopped reading what you wrote. – As is your right.
This blog is full of crazy people like me, I know that when I post here that I will have to put up with them. – Not me. I don’t “put up with them”, I ignore them. But THAT is my point. They may make the most salient, thought provoking point, that could change someone’s POV, but it won’t get read by that person because they have chosen to place the poster on “permanent ignore”.
I take the good with the bad. – That’s your option. *I* don’t waste my time straining through S**t to find pearls. I ignore those that offer s**t and read the ones that offer pearls.
I’ve had one post removed and have never been given a yellow or red card, how about you? – No removals or cards.
Botton line is, you are an adult and can post how you like.
DownInAlbany
February 6th, 2013
4:03 pm
Rachel beat up the Obama administration pretty good last night, too.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
February 6th, 2013
4:07 pm
You can lead a jackass to the Budget Control Act of 2011, but you can’t make him read and comprehend it. — Thomas Jefferson.
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
February 6th, 2013
4:09 pm
Keep Up the Good Fight!
February 6th, 2013
3:59 pm
I think President Trillions is an apt title. Clearly he has done many things that sit well with me. But this guy is a big spender and taking big risks and is politically incapable of making hard decisions. Why he can’t sell simply cutting 10% across the board and slightly more in the military is beyond me. New revenue alone won’t get us very far…As Kyle asked yesterday, why can’t he cut 2.3% at a minimum?
Bush was a dope in my book and did his damage…but Keynsian tunnel vision alone wont improve our situation.
Also, don’t run to far with a debate point about estimated reduced spending in 2013. It hasn’t happened yet and who knows what curve ball, say a double dipper, awaits. He did benefit from winding down the wars but that wasn’t exactly an original concept..
indigo
February 6th, 2013
4:11 pm
“would degrage our ability to respond to crisis”
Translation
“This would degrade our ability to rush to the rescue of some mid-east country, rescue them from themselves, and teach them the values of truth, justice and the American way, at a large cost of blood and treasure, of course”.
sigh. what a pity.
getalife
February 6th, 2013
4:12 pm
“What exactly has he cut and in which spending areas?”
Your google broken or just intellectually lazy?
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
February 6th, 2013
4:15 pm
What exactly has he cut and in which spending areas?
Congress controls the checkbook, sport.
Or did you forget that you were schooled on this very point yesterday.
Regnad Kcin
February 6th, 2013
4:20 pm
Off-topic from Public Policy Polling:
“Just like its actual ratings, Fox News has hit a record low in the four years that we’ve been doing this poll. 41% of voters trust it to 46% who do not. To put those numbers into some perspective the first time we did this poll, in 2010, 49% of voters trusted it to 37% who did not.”
It depends on what the meaning of “unskewed” is…
Granny Godzilla
February 6th, 2013
4:21 pm
Stevie
But this guy is a big spender – not in historical terms
and taking big risks – big job, big risks, big benefits,
and is politically incapable of making hard decisions – aren’t big risks hard decisions?
Keep Up the Good Fight!
February 6th, 2013
4:21 pm
Why he can’t sell simply cutting 10% across the board and slightly more in the military is beyond me
Well look we agree. Its beyond you. Cutting with a cleaver is not the answer. And there are plenty more revenues that can be raised as well as cutting waste. And since I don’t read Kyle’s foolishness often or deal with the children who have self-deported because they cannot control their insanity, I have no desire to address some skewed crazy rants. You and many other cons have lost any credibility and that, unfortunately for you, even if you have a good idea, its gets lost in the “crazy talk noise” that is so prevalent from the GOP. There will always be extremists but the GOP has gone so far to embrace the crazy that its own members are saying they have become the party of stupid. Your “President Trillions” claims are just reflective of that kind of stupidity that says you cannot be taken seriously. It identifies you with the Oirly Tates and Donald Trumps of the world.
AmericaShrugged
February 6th, 2013
4:22 pm
Kam – Check your civics. Congress only controls spending when there is a Dem POTUS and a Rep House. When Bush was POTUS it was all his fault!
Keep Up the Good Fight!
February 6th, 2013
4:23 pm
Kam, crazy never learns they just keep ranting.
Oh and the birthers must have had a field day today…. Obama slipped and said he was born in Hawaii.
getalife
February 6th, 2013
4:25 pm
” When Bush was POTUS”
There was no fiscal conservatism.
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
February 6th, 2013
4:26 pm
Keep Up the Good Fight!
February 6th, 2013
4:07 pm
Oh you must be referring to the sequester bill..brilliant.
In its 2013 projection, the CBO assumes $85 billion in automatic spending cuts at March 1.
Pretty thin.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
February 6th, 2013
4:27 pm
When Bush was POTUS it was all his fault!
Not intended to be a factual statement.
AmericaShrugged
February 6th, 2013
4:28 pm
Granny – Revert to the “he had to because of the mess Bush left him” argument because President Obama and his Dem Congress ran the biggest deficits as a percentage of GDP since WWII.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_public_debt
комиссар (Occupation)
February 6th, 2013
4:30 pm
getalife: “There was no fiscal conservatism.”
Fiscal conservatism?
That’s what Democrats are for.
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
February 6th, 2013
4:30 pm
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
February 6th, 2013
4:15 pm
I’m sorry Kam, I don’t ever recall getting schooled by you…so again, what has he cut?
I keep hearing all of my typical foes suggesting that BO has made all these material cuts already…where they be?
I guess I need more schooling eh? Bring it…
getalife
February 6th, 2013
4:31 pm
Which part of there was no fiscal conservatism did you not understand.
Cuts lose jobs job killers.
We want unemployment down not up.
Paul
February 6th, 2013
4:32 pm
TBS
LOL!
Stevie Ray – Keep Up
I’m fundamentally opposed to across the board cuts. I view it as a way for politicians to avoid tough choices and it means every single program is just as important as every other program.
getalife
The comments from SecDef Panetta – reminds me of a couple living in a multimillion-dollar mansion with servants and chauffeurs and cooks and such. They’re told they’ll have to cut 10 percent in household expenses and they say “but we won’t have as clean a house and we might have to drive ourselves!”
The scenario Panetta outlines says, in effect, ‘we’ll keep defending Europe for Europeans, other regions for other countries, we’ll keep buying tanks and planes and all sorts of things the military doesn’t want, so we’ll cut maintenance and training, instead.”
It’s the same tactic used by local government if a proposed tax increase is on the ballot: “you don’t pass it, we’ll cut libraries and fire stations and…” Always they go for the stuff that impacts those they serve , never the nice stuff they do for themselves.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
February 6th, 2013
4:32 pm
As I said Stevie, you continue to be one of the Oirly Tates posters. …. brilliant in your own mind.
AmericaShrugged
February 6th, 2013
4:34 pm
Kam – Now you’re catching on. Presidents, like QB’s, get too much credit and too much blame because Congress makes the laws. Lots of poorly constructed arguments onthis blog from both sides overlook that fact. They are aos a product of the times, economy, etc. Clinton oversaw great prosperity but it didn’t have much to do with anything he did, he benefitted from the height of the dot.com bubble. Bush had to deal with the dot.com bubble bursting, 9/11, and the housing bubble bursting. Obama had to deal with the aftermath of that and the very stupid and expensive wars.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
February 6th, 2013
4:37 pm
Paul, I agree. Across the board cuts are usually brain dead cuts that fail in actual evaluation and could cut some programs that might save millions. Its dumb budgeting.
Granny Godzilla
February 6th, 2013
4:38 pm
America Shrugged
Are you saying the President was not presented a mess on his first inauguration?
His Dem Congress? You mean the 134 days they had a supermajority?
I was hopin’ you would actually have the stones to go Galt.
Alas, no.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
February 6th, 2013
4:39 pm
I don’t ever recall getting schooled by you…
Do you recall that I never asserted that I have?
Again — Congress controls the checkbook, sport.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now you’re catching on.
I don’t have trouble understanding this. It’s the Galtian randroids that seem to be in the hero worship biz.
skipper
February 6th, 2013
4:39 pm
Sean “Napoleon Syndrome” Hannity and Rachel “Lickety-Split” Maddow……..two polarizing souls that epitomize the reason for us independents.
St Simons- island off coast of New Somalia
February 6th, 2013
4:41 pm
‘We want unemployment down not up.”
unless you’re a anti-merkan surrender monkey terrist that
hates us fer our freedums heheh
barking frog
February 6th, 2013
4:41 pm
Across the board cuts are easier to pass and they do
reduce spending but they are not efficient. You have
to take what you can get.
getalife
February 6th, 2013
4:41 pm
I think full employment should trigger the cuts.
Christian Conservative
February 6th, 2013
4:42 pm
Paul
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?
No I hear ya… Texas is an efficiently run state the same as Georgia… I’m pleased to have Representatives that have our interests at heart when they make policy. Unfortunately on the national level we have a mess… Led by obama…. Now clean the foam off your face and inform yourself man!!!
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
February 6th, 2013
4:42 pm
Paul
February 6th, 2013
4:32 pm
Wow, so you guys don’t think that across the board we can’t find 10% wasteful spending in each and every category?
комиссар (Occupation)
February 6th, 2013
4:43 pm
getalife: “I think full employment should trigger the cuts.”
Never going to have full employment while capitalists are running the show.
Reserve army of the unemployed is the greatest and most fiercely guarded social institution and means of enforcing social discipline.
Christian Conservative
February 6th, 2013
4:43 pm
Its amazing bookman’s buffoons stay on here all day for a topic that no one really cares about….
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
February 6th, 2013
4:44 pm
getalife
February 6th, 2013
4:41 pm
Tell the Mad-Hatter, Cheshire Cat, Queen of Hearts and Alice I said hello…
Keep Up the Good Fight!
February 6th, 2013
4:44 pm
Since the start of fiscal year 2011, President Barack Obama has signed into law approximately $2.4 trillion of deficit reduction for the years 2013 through 2022. Nearly three-quarters of that deficit reduction is in the form of spending cuts, while the remaining one-quarter comes from revenue increases. As a result of that deficit reduction, the projected rise in debt levels from today through 2022 has decreased by nearly 10 full percentage points of gross domestic product. In fact, under today’s policies, debt levels in 2022—as a share of GDP—will be only slightly higher than they are expected to be by the end of next year.
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
February 6th, 2013
4:47 pm
Christian Conservative
February 6th, 2013
4:42 pm
So Georgia is a well run state? Just because our majority is bible thumpers and want not exposure to that devil in hell?
Capable of any independent thought?
DannyX
February 6th, 2013
4:47 pm
AmericaShrugged, you need to give your “Don’t blame Bush” speech to Republicans. It was the Republicans that kept Bush away from the Republican convention, not wanting to remind the public what a disaster he was.
Lets see Republicans embrace the Bush years. They ran from his record and certainly didn’t defend it as just a spot of bad luck.
skipper
February 6th, 2013
4:47 pm
@CC,
Thats why blogs are fun……each person espousing their beliefs, and in many (most) cases castigating all who disagree……………..its called fun!!!!!!! And Jay has the most fun. He gets to see that EVERYBODY CAN BE LOONIE!!!
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
February 6th, 2013
4:48 pm
Keep Up the Good Fight!
February 6th, 2013
4:44 pm
Great, how much of those cuts have taken place already?
DownInAlbany
February 6th, 2013
4:53 pm
Granny Godzilla
February 6th, 2013
4:38 pm
America Shrugged
Are you saying the President was not presented a mess on his first inauguration?
Not quite the mess he was presented on his second!
Keep Up the Good Fight!
February 6th, 2013
4:53 pm
Well Stevie, again I can lead but you must read and then engage your brain and try to comprehend. You do know that the deficit this year is well under a trillion and is anticipated to be under $435 billion next year.
kayaker 71
February 6th, 2013
4:58 pm
Bookman ,
I have some information for you to grasp. Call 770 828-4625 tomorrow during business hours and talk to the people in charge of the GOAL program. They were very helpful and courteous. I spoke with them for about 15 minutes and told them that I was interested in taking advantage of the GA state tax deduction to help with private school expenses for my child. I asked them if there was a cap on yearly income to be able to use the GOAL program. They said, “Officially, or non officially?”. I responded, “Both”. The lady told me that their unofficial position, which they follow to the letter, is a cap on income of 92K/yr. I am assuming that it used to be 85K but they have allowed it to increase since the bill was passed. I then asked them if I did try to participate in the program but made over the cap amount during the year, would my participation be approved. She stated, “No, it would not”. They also stated that the program is designed for aid to those who fall short of the necessary funds for private school and it not designed for those who can afford to pay private school tuition. I am assuming she is talking about, but not saying, those evil rich Republicans that you keep ranting on about. That might include the less than 1% of the total people who really donate to the program that make over the stated cap. I might remind you that the average annual income of the average participant family is less than 60K/yr and this was reaffirmed in my conversation. So, who is the liar, now, my friend.
DannyX
February 6th, 2013
5:00 pm
“Not quite the mess he was presented on his second!”
Really? How so?
818,000 net job losses January 2009
157,000 net jobs gained January 2013
Every single economic indicator has improved significantly.
DownInAlbany
February 6th, 2013
5:02 pm
kayaker 71
February 6th, 2013
4:58 pm
You see, Jay, that wasn’t so hard! Thanks, kayaker!
DownInAlbany
February 6th, 2013
5:05 pm
7.9% unemployment, 8.8 million on disability (and growing), GDP growth expected at 1.4%, $17 trillion debt, 7 million to lose health insurance BECAUSE of ACA.
Every single economic indicator has improved significantly?
Would you like to try that one more time?
DannyX
February 6th, 2013
5:10 pm
“GDP growth expected at 1.4%,”
Which again, is better than the 10% DROP when he took over. The Dow has doubled. Foreclosures have slowed way down. Property values are rising. Spending is up. Manufacturing up. Construction is way up. Car sales up.
And most of all… “this sucker could go down”… is not in the vocabulary.
kayaker 71
February 6th, 2013
5:10 pm
Down in Albany,5:05,
This might also include the now 1.3T dollar obligation that the taxpayer will owe to Bozocare over the next decade. GAO stated today that instead of the original 940B, the bill would be more like 1.3T dollars and is expected to rise. By 2020, who knows?
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
February 6th, 2013
5:13 pm
SHEETZ!
Jay
February 6th, 2013
5:29 pm
kayaker, let me explain this as plainly as possible:
GOAL, the organization that you contacted, is just one of some 40 scholarship organizations in Georgia. The income limit that you have fixated upon is an income limit that GOAL has voluntarily adopted on its own. It does not apply to any of the other 39 SSOs, because it appears nowhere in state law.
I have provided you links to that law. I have provided you links to state agencies explaining the law. No mention is made in the law or regulations of any income limit for receipt of a scholarship. It does not exist. You are trying to claim that a self-imposed limit adopted voluntarily by one SSO is actually a provision in state law that binds all SSOs and that is flat out untrue.
Do I make myself clear?
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
February 6th, 2013
5:32 pm
Do I make myself clear?
No, and SHUT UP!
Vast Right Wing Conspiracy (aka "Knuckle-Dragger")
February 6th, 2013
8:31 pm
Folks just want a good education for their children. Spend too much time in a public school and you might just become a democrat – we can see what that leads to – reelecting near idiots and an insatiable desire for free stuff.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
February 6th, 2013
8:47 pm
…an insatiable desire for free stuff.
Haliburton says, “What?”
Supporter of GA Tax Program - Common Sense
February 7th, 2013
12:00 pm
I have participated in the GA Scholarship program and am proud to do so.
First, my 3 kids do attend a private, Christian school.
Second, NONE, yes NONE of the funds that I receive a tax credit for go to any of my kids.
Third, my family pays taxes that are imposed in multiple ways, including property, income, sales, gas, etc… – Yes the taxes go to the state of Georgia.
NOTE: Education is a leading expense in Georgia. The taxes that my family pays actually help to fund PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION. Interestingly enough, I am paying / contributing to the programs that my family does NOT participate in.
Sadly, my family and the other families in Georgia that pay thousands of additional dollars in taxes every year and do not use the public school system have never received a THANK YOU from the state for our contribution.
Questions: Would you be better served to address the billions of dollars that are wasted in the Georgia school systems? Why do projects, capital expenditure continuously go over projected budgets? How many more practice / sports fields need turf? How many more concession stands need replacement?
Finally, if a small percentage is using the funds incorrectly, shame on them. Don’t condemn those that are contributing legally and their school is using the fund properly – the purpose is to help those that need assistance.