Lawmakers Criticize Voucher Referendum Ballot Language

None by KCPW

(KCPW News)Utah lawmakers on both sides of the voucher issue are unhappy with the ballot language proposed for the referendum.

"I think that ballot language is very misleading," says State Senator Curt Bramble who co-sponsored House Bill 148 - the original voucher measure. "If someone votes on that and says I'm against 148 taking affect, they're saying they're against vouchers. But that's not what this does because 174 is effective and this doesn't affect that."

Bramble would prefer the ballot language released yesterday by the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel explain to voters that vouchers will be implemented in Utah regardless of the referendum outcome. According to the Utah Attorney General, a secondary voucher bill passed by lawmakers will keep vouchers on the books. But lawmakers who oppose vouchers are also unhappy with the ballot language. Representative Ralph Becker thinks it gives too much detail.

"IT has a lot of detailed language that I people think around going to be confused about," says Becker. "This is about whether or not people want vouchers in the state of Utah, which would effectively take money that would otherwise go to public schools to subsidize private schools."

House Democrats have asked for a special legislative session to clear up confusion between the two bills. Republican lawmakers - and the Governor - say that's a matter for the courts to decide. Only Utahns for Public Schools - the group behind the referendum - is allowed to challenge the ballot language. They have fifteen days to take their complaints to the Utah Supreme Court.

CITIZENS' STATE REFERENDUM NUMBER 1
BALLOT TITLE

In February 2007, the Utah Legislature passed H.B. 148, Education Vouchers. This bill will take effect only if approved by voters. The bill:

establishes a scholarship program for:

Qualifying school-age children who newly enroll in eligible private schools; and
lower income school-age children who continue their enrollment in eligible private schools;

provides for scholarships within that program of $500 to $3,000, depending on family size and income, increasing those scholarship amounts in future years; and
allows school districts to retain some per-student funding for scholarship students who transfer to private schools.

Are you for or against H.B. 148 taking effect?

1. Ralph P. Schamel said:

I find it difficult to understandn why some parents are unwilling to make the sacrifice of some degree of their life-style for their children's education. We sent all 4 kids to parochial school, K through 8, AND paid taxes! It was what we felt we should do (and it turned out to be well worth it).If parents want better educations for their children and are not willing to sacrifice some money for them, then get involved personally in getting the changes made to the school system they are paying for.

2. Steve Boughner said:

What's the point of having a referendum if the vote will, essentially, have no effect? Aside from being politically disingenuous and a frustration of the will of the people,it's a waste of taxpayer money.The Republicans in the Legislature and the Governor should refrain from passing the buck to the courts,call a Special Session of the Legislature, and do whatever is necessary to ensure that the voters get a straight up or down vote. This issue has gone on long enough.

3. Daniel Earley said:

With all due respect, Mr Schamel, not all parents may make as much money as you do even though they're doing the best they can. Still, the voucher only covers part of the tuition they'll face, and those lower income families will have to sacrifice to make up the difference -- as many already do if given half a chance. Over a thousand children still wait for such a chance at Children First Utah. www.childrenfirstutah.org Vouchers would bridge the gap for those families.

4. Zach Myers said:

I can't understand why anyone would vote down HB148, which is the only part of the voucher bill that can legally be challenged. Voting down this part of the voucher program will not prevent issuance of vouchers. Instead, voting down HB148 voters would in effect be supporting vouchers but getting rid of the provisions to give reimbursement to schools. So voting down HB148 would only increase the financial burden of public schools. So neither advocates of vouchers, nor supporters of public schools should be inclined to vote to kill HB148 in the upcoming election.

5. Zach said:

blah blah blah...

6. Robyn Bagley said:

It's unfortunate that Mr. Becker, a state representative is either misinformed or purposely being misleading about how the new voucher law works. The money appropriated for the voucher program does not in any way, shape, or form as he states, "effectively take money that would otherwise go to public schools." Do tell how you came to that assumption, Mr. Becker. You know full well that the funding for the voucher program comes from the general fund, not the education fund. You also know that HB148 mitigates money back to the school district for every child that leaves that district to go to a private school. The voucher program has been carefully crafted to hold public schools harmless, thus negating your argument entirely. The accurate description of how the voucher program works is that it "effectively" increases the public education budget by mitigating dollars back to them for a student they don't even have to educate. Not to mention it's a huge win, win for the taxpayer. They will be paying $7500 (capital costs included) this coming fall to educate each child in public school. A voucher only amounts to between $500 and $3000 depending on income. I'm sure you can handle the subtraction on that math problem. Also, every child that leaves for private school reduces class size by one. If you don't like vouchers, fine. But please have the decency to be intellectually honest.

7. Shawnna said:

I'm in favor of giving families the right to choose a good education for their kids whether it's a better public school or to opt out and head to the private side. Give choice a chance!

8. Valerie Thurnell said:

What part of hundreds of thousands of signatures of the people don't the legislators understand? Another example of legislating what you think the people need...not representing your constituents(but accepting that outside money for your campaigns) When there are only 8 counties in which there are private schools, who will benefit from a voucher program?....Certainly not the lowest income families. Room and board would have to figure in along with the $12,000 in tuition at the nearest private school miles and miles and miles from my house.