Scholarship Tax Credit Fight Nation Wide

School choice comes in many shapes and sizes. Opponents scream voucher every chance they get...only because they are aware of the negative connotations associated with the word. One day, they will realize their inaccuracies in this battle and will finally allow change to occur in the school system. Only then can we finally start to see our schools improve and start going in the direction we want.
Last legislative session, Missourians struggled to pass a bill that would allow private citizens or corporations to donate money (then get a tax credit) into a scholarship fund that would then be passed onto to students. Students would apply and use the money to attend an alternate public school or a private school. This battle has swept across the country...seeing better results in other states. Unfortunately, the opponents were too strong this run around, but I will not lay down and wave the white flag of surrender.
Camden County, New Jersey, is trying to pass legislation that would allow the same type of program. The parents are fighting hard to get access to better education for their children!
This was posted in Excellent Education for Everyone:
by JOSEPH GIDJUNIS The Courier-Post
The chants from the protesters echoed crisply off the City Hall facade Tuesday afternoon.
“What do we want?” shouted Angel Cordero, a city activist.
“Scholarships,” replied the crowd.
“When do we want them?” Cordero repeated.
“Now.”
About 50 city residents and students from Camden rallied at noon to encourage Sen. Dana Redd, D-Camden, to support state legislation offering scholarships to low-income students in the city to attend a nonpublic school. The crowd delivered more than 7,000 signatures from Camden County residents backing the bill.
The legislation, the Urban Enterprise Zone Jobs Scholarship Act, creates a pilot program for five years in eight New Jersey cities allowing private corporations to make contributions to a scholarship fund. The companies receive tax credits in return for their donations.
Cordero, a local activist and organizer of the rally, had the supporters pushing for changes in education.
“This bill will immediately start saving Camden children,” Cordero said during a brief speech to the crowd. “Our children’s lives depend on it.”
The bill was approved by the New Jersey Senate’s Economic Growth Committee in May, and a vote has been scheduled next week in the larger Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, where Redd serves, Cordero said. If the committee approves the bill, it then needs approval by both legislative chambers and Gov. Jon S. Corzine.
If approved, the bill would cost up to $360 million in tax credits by providing more than 18,000 scholarships to students in Camden, Elizabeth, Jersey City, Lakewood, Newark, Orange, Paterson and Trenton, according to a fiscal note analysis conducted on the legislation. The state could save about $17 million by providing less money to these school districts because they’re serving fewer students, the note said.
“There is bipartisan support for the bill. We’re continuing to build coalitions to build additional support in the Legislature,” said Sen. Thomas Kean, R-Westfield, a primary sponsor of the bill. “I believe this is an important priority for the state. I think the benefit for the state will be positive.”

Of course, there is the opposition claims it will steal money from the public schools. That tired argument is unfounded and inaccurate. It is time everyone know the truth.