Sen Republicans Take Public Tax Dollars Away from Public Education, Approve School Voucher Program
Contact Name: Marina Altschiller
Phone: (603) 271-3207
CONCORD - Today, Republican members of the Senate Finance Committee approved an amendment to HB 2 which would allow public tax dollars to be used for “education freedom accounts,” also known as school vouchers. During the public hearing on HB 2, opposition to a school voucher program was the fourth highest discussed topic.
After the vote, Senate Democratic Leader Donna Soucy (D-Manchester) and Deputy Senate Democratic Leader Cindy Rosenwald (D-Nashua) issued the following statements:
“Instead of addressing existing school funding inequities, this bill would divert public education dollars away from the public school system to subsidize private, for-profit programs,” stated Senate Democratic Leader Donna Soucy (D-Manchester). “This shift of public tax dollars out of our public school systems in order to benefit a small population will do nothing but impose further financial hardship on our public school system. The original language of SB 130 came in under the guise of helping families at or below the poverty level. Today’s amendment to that language continues the Republican agenda of delivering handouts to the wealthy while leaving the average Granite Stater behind.”
Deputy Senate Democratic Leader Cindy Rosenwald (D-Nashua) added, “While the impacts of an unconstitutional voucher program will be devastating to our public school system, we cannot ignore the fact that the shift of public money to private institutions will cause a significant increase in local property taxes. Both Democrats and Republicans have identified property taxpayer relief as a priority. Why then would we remove safeguards for the use of taxpayer dollars and ask hardworking Granite Staters to pay for the private education of other children and families?"
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