A legislative panel voted this week to continue giving generous tax credits to those who help students attend private and parochial schools.
The move by the Joint Legislative Income Tax Credit Review Committee comes despite the fact that proponents concede there is no way of knowing whether the individual and corporate credits, which totaled more than $60 million last year, actually have a positive impact on state finances. Rep. J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, said he believes that it really does save taxpayer money.
But Mesnard, who pushed the recommendation, said even if that were not the case, he believes it is "good public policy'' to help parents choose the schools of their choice. And he said it is irrelevant if that education includes religious training.
Thursday's vote is simply a recommendation to the full Legislature which convenes next month. But it is likely to be followed, at least in part because it would take a vote of both the House and Senate to trim or eliminate the credit; lack of legislative action keeps the credit in place.
A 1997 law allows Arizonans to get a dollar-for-dollar credit on what they owe the state in income taxes for money they donate to organizations that provide the scholarships for private and parochial schools.
Individuals have been able to divert up to $500 a year, and couples double that. But beginning this year, that amount is going to be adjusted for inflation.
Last year Arizonans diverted nearly $49 million to the scholarship organizations. A separate law giving dollar-for-dollar credits to corporations cost another nearly $11.1 million in revenue.
in 2009, the most recent year's figure available for that category.
Rep. Tom Chabin, D-Flagstaff, said allowing the credits makes no sense.
"Our public schools are suffering due to underfunding,'' he said. Chabin said the state should not allow money to be siphoned off of revenues to help support private and parochial schools.
But Mesnard said there's a case to be made that it saves money.
That is based on the premise that at least some of the students who are attending these private schools would otherwise be in public schools. And the state pays an average of $5,300 a year to local districts for each student in attendance.
Proving that savings, however, is something else.
Steve Schimpp, a legislative budget staffer, said about 23,800 students in private and parochial schools are getting some type of scholarship. He computes it would take 8,150 children to migrate from public to private schools to make the tax credit at least revenue neutral.
But Schimpp said there is no way to tell if the state hit that break-even point since there is no requirement in law to ask parents whether their children would be in public schools absent the help.
Mesnard said, though, it is wrong to look at the issue solely as one of dollars and cents. He said the credits help parents make decisions that are in the best interests of their children by making the tuition cost less of a factor.
"The fact that we're empowering them to make decisions for their families is good,'' he said. "The fact that they may make religious ones is immaterial to us.''
Sen. Ron Gould, R-Lake Havasu City, said he donates to these scholarship organizations -- and takes the tax credits -- because he believes it does help parents who otherwise could not afford private education.
The law allows donors to "recommend'' that the funds go toward a specific child, though there is no requirement of the scholarship organization to follow that. In Gould's case, he said the donations were made for two children, one who has a single mother and the other the child of a truck driver.
"I know these folks personally and I know that without those tax credits those children would not be attending private school,'' he said.
Scottsdale Rabbi Ariel Shoshan told lawmakers that he both donates to scholarship organizations and, as the father of six children in four different schools, his family is a beneficiary.
"Our children are getting an education we believe in,'' he said.
After the meeting, Shoshan, said he sees nothing wrong with diverted tax dollars being used to send a child where the curriculum includes religious training.
"It's a way for the community to pay for each child's education, just as it does for all of our neighbors,'' he said.
In separate action, the committee voted to recommend continuation of a separate tax credit available to those who donate to extracurricular programs at public schools. That credit of $200 per individual and $400 per couple totaled $48.4 million last year.
The panel also said the state should continue credits for low income families, commercial installation of solar devices and donations to the Military Family Relief Fund which aids the families of deployed soldiers and sailors.
But the panel is recommending that four other credits up for review be killed:
- Installing solar water stub-outs and electric vehicle recharging stations;
- Developers donating land for public schools;
- Adding employees in a business located in a military reuse zone;
- Building a facility that manufactures environmental technology.
Irons1 posted at 10:40 am on Sat, Dec 8, 2012.
Of course, they voted for this. Many legislators are making money for being associated with private schools.
downtownresident posted at 11:14 am on Sat, Dec 8, 2012.
The greedy, mental midgets running this state are so intent on profiting from the poor taxpayers in any way they can that they pass these self serving giveaways that benefit their Mormon friends and stake members, as well as some other profiteers who contribute (bribe) to them.
These "schools" are cash cows for the cult members who are owners and investors. Anybody who thinks this is about a well rounded education is either a moron or an administrator or owner of one of these factories.
Bend over, here it comes!
DataMan posted at 11:15 am on Sat, Dec 8, 2012.
How can these clowns vote on ANYTHING right now, as they are not in session! And the 2013 Legislature has yet to be eve sworn in.
2013 is also when the GOP clowns lose their super majority in both the AZ House and AZ Senate...
az2008 posted at 11:53 am on Sat, Dec 8, 2012.
Data, committee panels can meet when the Legislature is not in session. And, this vote was only a recommendation to the legislature, which the article clearly says convenes next month.
Howie's title is a bit misleading, as it sounds like the legislature approved something.
az2008 posted at 12:02 pm on Sat, Dec 8, 2012.
I don't understand how they are "private" schools when they are supported (significantly) by taxpayer money.
Some will say a "credit" isn't the same as funding "private" schools directly from the legislature. But, when the state reduces the tax burden of one individual (for attending "private" school), it shifts the cost of government to other tax payers. It's like giving a tax credit to anyone who shops at Fry's Food, and then disingenuously saying Fry's Food isn't taxpayer funded (compared to Basha's, et. al.).
Some will say it's a credit for taxes going to public schools which the taxpayer isn't using. But, the AZ Constitution requires funding of public schools. Not just by those who use them. If the credit is indeed a way to repay an individual for *not* using public schools, then it's little more than a way to circumvent the Constitution without the amendment process (and the public debate that process is intended to produce).
I agree with Irons. When you look more deeply into this, it has corruption written all over it. Legislators who support so-called "private" education have business interests in that sector.
downtownresident posted at 12:16 pm on Sat, Dec 8, 2012.
DataMan ,
Laws, ethics, honesty, morality and rules don't apply to them. They do as they please.
This is from the mental midget's own web site:
( ) = Recessed until Date/Time
Senate Committee Agendas
No Active Committee Agendas
House Committee Agendas
No Active Committee Agendas
JLBC Agendas
No Active Committee Agendas
downtownresident posted at 12:39 pm on Sat, Dec 8, 2012.
Scum rises to the top, even in the trough of public taxpayer fraud.
Steve Yarbrough, Executive Director of AZ Christian Schools Tuition Org. is also chairman of ways and means committee. This means that the taxpayers of Arizona are paying this thief to steal from us.
If this isn't illegal, it only proves how corrupt the "leaders" of Arizona really are.
THESE PEOPLE CALL THEM SELVES CHRISTIONS????????????????
They should be in jail.
Steve, how do you live with yourself??????
God will punish you.
jimnbubba posted at 1:09 pm on Sat, Dec 8, 2012.
These folks pay taxes also and if they can send their children to schools that have students who want to learn and not just hang out and get free meals ,they have my support
Mike McClellan posted at 1:20 pm on Sat, Dec 8, 2012.
Besides Yarbrough's obvious conflict of interest noted by downtownresident above, there's the spectacular hypocrisy of these Republicans:
While they call for increased accountability for public schools -- which is fine -- they require zero accountability for their beloved voucher programs.
For all of the kids who use the voucher to go to private schools, no testing is required to account for the kids' achievement.
In other words, the voucher advocates have no idea if this program they so call for actually works.
Spectacular hypocrisy: They are supposedly so careful about how our taxes are spent, yet with this program, they have no idea if the money they hand over is useful.
They always like to talk about the ROI, the return on investment. Yet here -- with their pet program -- they don't have a clue about the ROI.
Pathetic.
az2008 posted at 1:29 pm on Sat, Dec 8, 2012.
Jim, the reason the AZ Constitution requires the state to fund education is so we all have "skin in the game" and work to improve public education. If you can remove yourself, get a refund from the state, and spend that money with others of similar values, it leaves public education not only unfunded (per the constitution), but eliminates the influence of those similar-minded folks upon the system as a whole.
That's what's bad about this. If public education has outlived its usefulness, the solution is to amend the Constitution.
IMO, that's the real irony. Advocates of "private" schooling tend to be the types who complain about big government and "follow the constitution."
Personally, I wish we'd amend the Constitution to block collective bargaining from public schools (and perhaps any taxpayer-funded job). I think that would fix most of the problem privateers have with public education. It would give them more influence versus the education monopoly.
fpsbblu posted at 8:11 pm on Sat, Dec 8, 2012.
I am a parent, a taxpayer, I vote, and for my third career I teach in a public high school.
I am all for parents having the right to send their children to the school of their choice.
I agree that if the legislature wants to give people or corporations a dollar for dollar break on their taxes then so be it. However, I do not agree with the following.
If people or corporations get a dollar for dollar tax credit of $500 or $1000.00 then those that donate to public schools should be afforded the same amount. Currently individuals can donate $200.00 and couples $400.00 for extracurricular activities only.
I believe that the private schools should be held to the same Common Core Curriculum Standards and assessments that public schools are held to.,
I also believe that if a legislator is involved in one of the private schools he/she should step down from any committee that votes on bills affecting private schools
My experience with Collective bargaining for public school employees in Arizona is a joke, school districts put an offer on the table if employees do not accept it the school district finds new employees. There is no need to legislate collective bargaining in Arizona public schools.
samkat posted at 8:13 pm on Sat, Dec 8, 2012.
ateam: Who put the burr under your saddle? :-)
SculptorDad posted at 11:31 pm on Sat, Dec 8, 2012.
Good to see that we citizens are not fooled by this creepy religious freak scam. Why are the elected representatives continuing to vote the way the lobbyists pay them to?
downtownresident posted at 1:56 pm on Sun, Dec 9, 2012.
Ateam1,
You've made me so happy. You actually read my stuff![beam]
mikedurham posted at 3:03 pm on Sun, Dec 9, 2012.
It would seem that public schools could benefit from a similar plan of tax defuctible domations.