School voucher program needs work

Editorials

March 13, 2006

Anonymous The Tonawanda News Mon Mar 13, 2006, 09:28 AM EST

North Tonawanda, NY — It’s not a bad idea, offering a $500-per-child education tax credit to parents of children in underperforming school districts if they choose to send them to a private or religious school, but is it a good idea to punish the underperforming school district?

That appears to be what Gov. George Pataki’s proposed voucher legislation will do. At least temporarily. Then it’s likely going to punish taxpayers.

According to figures released Monday by the state’s teachers union, Pataki’s voucher legislation would divert up to $400 million annually from New York school districts. Depending on the school district, individual losses range anywhere from $2 million to $50,000 a year.

The money has to come from somewhere, but penalizing already underperforming schools so a child can attend a private school seems a little ridiculous. So is partially funding private schools with public money.

Another problem is we don’t expect local school districts will suffer long. If you think they’re just going to absorb those cuts, keep dreaming. You’ll be making up the difference in next year’s school tax bill.

That means you’ll be paying for the program twice — with your state taxes and your school taxes.

We’d like a better choice.

Text Only

Editorials

OUR VIEW: Time is up for SPCA board
This is no time for subtleties or polite requests.

February 7, 2012
OUR VIEW: Now who’s waging class warfare?
It was absurd for Republicans to cast President Obama’s call for a slightly higher income tax rate on the wealthiest Americans as class warfare.

February 3, 2012
OUR VIEW: SPCA off to good start
We were pleased to see members of the SPCA of Niagara’s board of directors take swift action and fire Executive Director John Faso on Monday.

February 1, 2012
Progress on marina, new funds, laudable
City leaders deserve praise — praise we’re pleased to deliver after years of criticism — for finally cementing a plan for redeveloping the city marina on River Road, a property that has sadly fallen into disrepair following to years of false-starts and faltering leadership.

January 27, 2012
OUR VIEW: In address, Obama focused on the practical
We were pleased to see President Obama mark a return to focusing the government on simple, achievable goals to help create jobs and bolster the nation’s economy.

January 26, 2012
OUR VIEW: Romney’s wealth shines spotlight on tax equity
Though it may not prove politically expedient for Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, his decision to release his 2010 and anticipated 2011 tax returns will have at least one benefit, even if it wasn’t intended:

January 24, 2012
OUR VIEW: Cuomo pension plan makes sense
Cuomo proposed adding a 401(k) tier to the state’s pension plan. We’ll forgive workers in the private sector where plans of this nature are the accepted norm if they wonder why this would even be controversial.

January 18, 2012
OUR VIEW: Cuomo's plans are praiseworthy
In the annual state of the state address, Gov. Andrew Cuomo was long on big promises that will be a boon to New York’s government, business and education infrastructure. But as every New Yorker — particularly ones in this neck of the woods — knows, talk is cheap.

January 7, 2012
OUR VIEW: Do something about the SPCA
Although the dust still has to settle around the horrific complaints by a former employee of the Niagara County SPCA and others, we were discouraged to learn that the animal shelter is still struggling with a lack of leadership.

January 5, 2012
OUR VIEW: Time Warner skating on thin ice
In a high stakes game of chicken between cable network MSG and the region’s largest cable TV provider Time Warner Cable, the only people losing right now are hockey fans the region over.

January 3, 2012
More Editorials Headlines

Editorials

Search Results

School voucher program needs work

Site Map

Contact Us