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Virginia Senate Kills Education Tax Credit BillBy Amber Lester Kennedy Wednesday, February 16, 2011 The Virginia Senate killed a bill Tuesday that would have given tax breaks to companies that made donations for low-income students to attend private schools. The Senate Finance Committee voted along party lines, nine Democrats to six Republicans, to kill Governor Bob McDonnell’s Education Improvement Tax Credit bill. The bill, which was part of McDonnell’s “Opportunity to Learn” initiatives announced Jan. 18 (read more here), would have established a tax credit for companies donating to nonprofit organizations that provide scholarships to help low-income students attend private schools. In the Senate, Republican Sen. Tommy Norment was one of the six who voted in favor of the measure, which was sponsored by Del. Jimmie Massie, R-Henrico. The bill passed the house, 54-45, on Feb. 8. If the tax credit had been approved, nonprofits that received these donations would have had to award scholarships to students eligible for free and reduced lunch in their public schools. The eligible nonprofits would have been required to distribute at least 90 percent of their annual receipts to the scholarships. The tax credit would have equaled 70 percent of the donation made by the company and would be carried forward or back for 15 years. The Department of Taxation would have been allowed to issue up to $25 million in credits each fiscal year. When he first introduced the tax credit proposal, McDonnell said the tax credit would “open the door” to new opportunities for young people. On Tuesday, he said Democrats in the Senate voted against innovation and instead sided with special interest groups and unions. “It is time for Senate Democrats to rethink their priorities and make decisions that are in the best interest of Virginia’s children, not outside unions and advocates for bigger government,” he said in a press release. He went on to say educational reform is a bipartisan, national effort . “Helping disadvantaged children access greater educational opportunities is the right thing to do, and we will continue to work to increase that access in the years ahead,” he said. |
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Comments
Only when the money follows the kids rather than the public schools will we see an improvement in K-12 education. Until that happens, expect US education to continue its decline.
Of course, the private school could always approach a business and inquire about their disposition toward paying some of the tuition, if the lack of tuition for the student they'd like to sponsor would place a hardship on that school's finances, a scholarship/gra nt could be set up, if the school is nonprofit.
A fundraiser held to raise the necessary funds for student who would benefit from that private school's program would be appropriate, too.
The noisy distractions at public schools is appalling, and I can see that a student with above average scholastic standing, would do even better in the more calm private school atmosphere.
However, a special needs child might be at risk further, if unable to keep up with the children from privileged homes who have had advantages in education that aren't available or known to the underprivileged families.
It certainly isn't up to taxpayers to allow businesses making millions, to use schooling as a means to dodge taxes. Those businesses would be better suited to create a program such as the Gates do.