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Article published Mar 3, 2005
Group opposes school funding plan
COLUMBIA -- Game
on.The battle over Gov. Mark Sanford's proposal to give tax credits to families
to send their children to private schools got a new player Wednesday, the same
day that supporters released a study that concludes the plan would give public
schools more money to spend per pupil.Choose Children First, a group of business
and community leaders who have banded together to oppose "Put Parents in
Charge," introduced itself to the public Wednesday afternoon in downtown
Columbia. The coming out party included the unveiling of bumper stickers that
read: "Beware of the Wolf, No Vouchers."The new organization's leaders wasted
little time adding to the volume of rhetoric piling up on both sides of the
debate."We come from every corner of South Carolina united with a common goal --
to stop a predator in its tracks," said Florence Mayor Frank Willis, chairman of
Willis Construction and one of Choose Children First's co-chairmen."It's time to
respond to the noise created by supporters of this predator. It's time to
respond to the vicious attacks on education and educators. It's time to look
underneath at the wolf in sheep's clothing that's stalking our children."The
group's other co-chairs are Columbia attorney Steve Benjamin, a Democrat who
lost in his bid for the state Attorney General's office in 2002; the Rev. Susan
Heath; Rick Ott, senior executive vice president of M.B. Kahn Construction Co.;
and Chuck Saylors, principal owner of Carolinas Construction LLC and president
of the state PTA.If "Put Parents in Charge" passes, middle income parents could
take 51 percent of the per-pupil state spending on K-12 education, or $2,600
assuming state spending of $5,000 per pupil. Supporters say that would leave
$7,400 -- based on expenditures of $10,000 per-pupil including federal and local
funding -- with the public school.For students eligible for free or reduced
lunch, the tax credit would be 64 percent of per-pupil state spending, or
$3,200. But those families in actuality wouldn't have enough income toqualify
for any tax credit and would therefore have to rely on Scholarship Granting
Organizations that the bill creates to cover the cost of the tuition.Individuals
and companies that donate money to the scholarship organizations also would be
eligible for tax credits.Families with less than $75,000 in taxable income and
two exemptions would be eligible for the credits. The income cap goes up by
$5,000 for each exemption.To have $75,000 in taxable income, a family would have
to earn more than $90,000.Heath called the plan a gamble that puts children at
risk."We are united in opposition to this bill because it is dangerous," she
said. "Today we call upon parents, teachers, business people, church and
community leaders to help us stop this backdoor voucher bill in its
tracks."Sanford spokesman Will Folks said Choose Children First's leadership was
trying to protect its own interests, not children."Anytime you have a group that
is led by an executive (Ott) from one of the leading public school construction
companies in the state, you can bet that they are more interested in preserving
market share than enhancing education," Folks said.Earlier Wednesday, the S.C.
Policy Council and the Legislative Education Action Drive -- an Illinois-based
tuition tax-credit advocate, released a study by Clemson University economist
Cotton Lindsay that "Put Parents in Charge" would allow school districts across
the state to spend $1,419 more per child when fully implemented.Lindsay
concluded that the proposal would save the state $227.8 million the first year
and $2.8 billion during the five years that the program is phased in. He
predicted a surplus of $931 million each year after the plan was fully
implemented."This is a remarkable savings to the state," said House Speaker Pro
Tem Doug Smith, R-Spartanburg, the bill's chief sponsor. "This is strong
evidence that not only is there no loss of state funds for public schools, but
that there is an increase in per-pupil funding."This should alleviate the fears
of educators and legislators who have concerns that it would take money from
public schools."Lindsay's conclusions are based on his estimate that about
105,000 students would take advantage of the tax credits and leave public
schools. That's more than twice the 42,000 he predicted would leave in a study
he did last year.Lindsay's study is in stark contrast to one completed by Harry
Miley, who was an economic adviser to former Govs. Carroll Campbell and David
Beasley. Miley's study, commissioned by plan opponents the S.C. School Boards
Association and the S.C. Association of School Administrators, concluded that
"Put Parents in Charge" would cost the state's schools about $350 million
annually.Benjamin, one of the Choose Children First co-chairs, said the
supporters' changing numbers make it difficult to determine the real financial
impact."The deeper you look, the more problems you find with this scheme," he
said.But Folks said the numbers released today paint the true picture."It's
pretty clear that any way you slice it, per-pupil funding goes up," Folks said.
"This study shows that 'Put Parents in Charge' increases per-pupil spending at a
much faster rate than the status quo."Robert W. Dalton can be reached at
562-7274 or bob.dalton@shj.com.