Anti-Voucher Group Goes to Court

None by KCPW

(KCPW News) Seemingly all roads on vouchers now lead to the Utah Supreme Court. Tomorrow opponents of vouchers will file their own petition with the state's high court arguing the ballot language for November's referendum is inaccurate:

"The 100 words don't tell voters whether the voucher program survives the vote," says Michael McCoy, an attorney for the Utah Education Association. "Quite frankly I expect a million dollars or more to be spent by both sides to have this issue decided, and it seems the issue ought to be decided rather than remain in limbo where it is right now."

McCoy will represent the petitioners - all of whom were original sponsors of the voucher referendum. In addition to challenging the ballot language, McCoy says the group will ask the Utah Supreme Court to make clear the impact of the two voucher bills.

"To have it made clear what the voters are voting on," says McCoy. "Are we voting on the appropriation and definitions, or are we voting on the voucher program? It would be a terrible travesty, I think, to have the people vote against vouchers and then find out through a sleight of hand that the legislators have produced the program anyway."

Last Thursday the pro-voucher group Parents for Choice in Education and two Republican lawmakers who sponsored the original voucher bill filed their own lawsuit with the Utah Supreme Court asking for clarification.

If the courts do not offer clarity soon, Governor Huntsman says he will call a special legislative session to assure the "finality of the November vote" on vouchers.

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