Governor vetoes $100M private schools bill in Pennsylvania

Published June 19. 2019 04:39AM

HARRISBURG. (AP) — Gov. Tom Wolf is vetoing budget-season legislation to substantially ramp up taxpayer support for private and religious schools in Pennsylvania.

In Wolf’s veto message Tuesday, he questioned why Pennsylvania should expand a tax credit that subsidizes private institutions while the state’s public school system remains underfunded.

The Democratic governor also criticized the tax credit program as lacking accountability, saying little is known about its educational quality or the middleman groups that can withhold 20% of the money.

The Republican-controlled Legislature passed the bill over Wolf’s objections amid budget discussions. Just four Democrats voted for it.

It would have nearly doubled the Educational Improvement Tax Credit to $210 million annually. The program effectively lets corporations and business people direct tens of millions in tax dollars to favored private and religious schools.

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Listen folks! Earlier this year, in an article about the "Wolf" Budget, I posted how Wolf will pay back those large campaign contributors. In Wolf's case, the largest amount of monies came from the TEACHERS UNION!
Now you tell me... Why would this governor come against common sense, as this proposed bill is?
As for accountability? A sad excuse Tom Wolf. Do you hold the Philadelphia Public School District accountable for all the folly going on down there (look this stuff up folks). In 2016, PA Government Schools ranked 41st in "Cost Per Student" ($15,418), yet we rank 24th overall the states, in quality. How's that for accountability?
Now remember how this disaster is funded. Look folks, if you don't pay the thugs in charge of the Government School, those thugs will take away your house. Wake up to the reality of government education! Wouldn't it be nice for all to unite on this one issue? Well why not? Oh... because the teachers have already poisoned the water.
What's taught in the classroom today, will be embraced by Government tomorrow. Can anyone say "Socialism" ?
Socialism is funneling $100mm of tax payor money into private schools.

Are you so one-sided that you don't realize that the GOP is being greased by the Catholic Church and private schools to support vouchers and other schemes to divert tax monies into their coffers?
A free market system capable of increasing innovation, is stifled by lack of competition, and the teachers union is afraid of competition Joe. Socialism is taking that money anyway. The Government School is grooming future socialist, all the while, giving sane parents no option. I'm all about total privatization, but the power of the teachers union, will see that never happens. What do you have against parents having a voice, a choice? Why must that tax money solely go to the socialist training centers of perverted learning?
Do you even have children Joe? We raised seven.
Since when do they not have a choice? I send 2 to public school, and 1 to private. Never thought I didn't have a choice. My neighbor sends their kids to catholic school, and gets a scholarship(from the school). Private means private. School voucher programs just expands socialism's reach. With vouchers will come expectations from the state that those schools follow their directives. Don't like unisex bathrooms? Too bad! Want to control sex ed curriculum? Good luck!
I have a problem with my money going to support all of the garbage found in the government schools. And while I did choose otherwise in some, I am still pinched by the public school extortioners. I say allow the child to take the state portion to the school of choice, you disagree.
Are you a teacher? You don't have to answer that. You are all over the place in your belief... hard to nail down?
You don’t manufacture competition through diversion of tax money. It’s all or nothing. School vouchers and private school tax support is just deepening state control, not lessening it.
Picking winners and losers with the tax dollar? Oh... there's no picking or choosing with a government school system for the parent, but the elites within our leaders will. Can we agree on eliminating any and all government control over schooling the kids? Let me keep the tax money and educate in any means available? In this day of Cyber School, educating a little one could be very inexpensive. Get government out of education all together. I don't want my money going to perverted, confusing, and unnatural subject matter, just as I don't want my tax money going to killing babies (1997 Hyde Amendment).
So Joe... I hate giving them all, so I vote nothing.
Do you think members of the Pennsylvania Legislature send their children to public school? They just want to further fund the schools that their children attend.
Someone has to subsidize the Catholic Church. After all, lawyers and lawsuits aren’t cheap. I guess, it might as well be the taxpayers, right?

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