FL House quietly trying to resurrect Jeb's school vouchers in spite of unconstitutionality ruling.

[seafan]

Bush's bad idea lives on in capital

St. Petersburg Times Editorial
May 1, 2007

Jeb Bush is long gone from the state capital, but efforts to save the former governor's unconstitutional voucher program are quietly continuing in the last days of the legislative session. The public attention that helped defeat an identical effort last year has evaporated, and that's too bad. This remains a terrible idea even if nobody notices until lawmakers already have approved it.

The Florida Supreme Court could not have been clearer last year when it found that it is unconstitutional to use public money to pay for tuition vouchers at private schools for students at failing public schools. The court ruled the voucher program "diverts public dollars into separate private systems parallel to and in competition with the free public schools that are the sole means set out in the Constitution for the state to provide for the education of Florida's children."

Yet legislators are back at it, trying to create a loophole where there isn't one. The House is poised to take a final vote on HB 7211, which would create a new trust fund that would take in money from corporate income taxes and declare that the fund could be used for "any purpose other than education." That way, the money would never really go into the state treasury and so it wouldn't be general revenue that should go to public education. Another bill would create a new corporate scholarship program for students at failing schools, which would be paid for with money in the bogus trust fund.

It's a neat trick.

.....

Here's an UPDATE:

Measure to revive stricken voucher program is pulled from Senate

AP
May 2, 2007
Last modified: May 02. 2007 7:51PM

A proposal to revive a private school voucher program (Opportunity Scholarship Program) struck down by the Florida Supreme Court last year was withdrawn Wednesday from consideration in the Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Dan Webster, R-Winter Garden, avoided a heated debate and possibly another court challenge by agreeing to remove the voucher provision from a bill (SB 2380) otherwise requiring the Florida's education commissioner to develop a program for improving failing schools.

.....

Webster's provision would have reconstituted it as part of another voucher program for children from low-income families, financed by corporate income tax credits.

The corporate program has not faced a legal challenge, but it might if the Legislature were to add vouchers for students from failing schools, said Ron Meyer, a lawyer for the Florida Education Association.

.....

Dang that *activist* Florida Supreme Court. :sarcasm:


I think the threat of a new legal challenge is why they have backed off. For now.

As long as a few well-known Jeb disciples remain in power in Tallahassee, Floridians will be fighting the same battles over and over again.

Need to keep an eye on these guys 24/7.



Well, whaddya know....while posting this entry, the above article's text has now been changed.

Here are the key *new excerpts*:


Measure would revive voucher program

AP
May 2, 2007
Last modified: May 02. 2007 9:26PM

A measure that would revive a private school voucher program is set for a vote Thursday in the Senate.

.....

Senate Majority Leader Dan Webster, R-Winter Garden, amended it into a House-passed bill (HB 7145) that would require the Florida's education commissioner to develop a program for improving failing schools.

Webster's provision would reconstitute it as part of another voucher program for children from low-income families, which is financed by corporate income tax credits. The Senate approved another Webster amendment that removed that provision from one part of the bill, but it remains in another.

.....

Looks like we are headed for yet ANOTHER showdown over Jeb Bush's school vouchers, carried out by his minions still in the Legislature. Jeb is gone, but his devious plans live on.

I seriously doubt that Florida citizens have any inkling that this is once again, being forced into law, against the ruling of the Supreme Court. This will enrage them.

[madfloridian]

1. Isn't Rubio a Jeb disciple?

That's been my impression.

I am afraid the average person here does not care at all. The media has been pushing them effectively for years. They have appealed to the poor and minorities that the vouchers would give them a better education. They have had it preached from minority pulpits. Here is Jeb at a "voucher rally" in Tally in 04 I think.



Jeb may be gone but he is still around.

[seafan]

2. Yes, he is Jeb's Chosen One. See this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=776732&mesg_id=776732

[whistle]

4. Jeb is putting on weight, he is becoming a fat cat

[Dr.Phool]

3. I sooo hope Suzan Franks wins the special Senate election next month.

She's going to announce tomorrow. S-3 seat being vacated by Nancy Argenziano.

We just had a stategery meeting today. Suzan was John Russell's Press Secretary last year. She's a great woman, with 23 years in elected public service in New Hampshire. 8 years in the state legislature. And a long track record of accomplishments.

I'll be sending out the press release either tonight or tomorrow. I'll also post it in the Florida forum.

The website is being put together right now. www.suzanfranks.com