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Patriotic disguise© St. Petersburg Times published March 25, 2003 Under cover of patriotism: another attack on Florida's public schools. Legislation (CS for HB 805) expected to clear the Florida House today would grant corporate tax credits of up to $10-million a year for contributions to private school vouchers for children of armed services personnel. That's in addition to the existing $50-million-a-year allowance for existing low-income vouchers. House sponsors admitted in preliminary debate that some applicants might get both. But that's the least of what's wrong with the bill. It applies to retired as well as active service members, to reservists and the National Guard even if they're never called to active duty, and without regard to financial need. A general's kid who got in line first could bump a sergeant's. Legislators who questioned this largesse had the present war thrown at them, as if they were unpatriotic. When Democrats suggested the tax credit expenditure might be more fairly spent on encouraging civilian employers to maintain the pay of reservists called to active duty, Republican sponsors didn't pretend to have a good answer. Could that be because the bill is less about patriotism than about helping private schools and hurting the public system?
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
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From the Times Opinion page |
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