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.

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