Vouchers dealt new blow

School vouchers are still dead in Florida.

A committee of the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission on Monday defeated a proposal to ask voters to enshrine vouchers in the state Constitution. The nation's only statewide voucher program, initiated by former Gov. Jeb Bush and lawmakers in 1999, was struck down as an unconstitutional diversion of tax dollars by the Florida Supreme Court in 2006.

Tax commission member Bobby Martinex, a Coral Gables lawyer, sponsored the new proposal, saying that he wasn't criticizing the court, but that Florida voters have never had the opportunity to speak on the issue. The Government Services Committee killed the proposal, led by opposition from lawyer Martha Barnett, former Democratic Sen. Les Miller, Pinellas teacher union leader Jade Moore and former GOP Senate President Jim Scott.

Ron Meyer of the Florida Education Association, the union whose lawsuit succeeded in getting vouchers struck down, had urged a no vote, telling the panel: "We think this is a solution in search of a problem." Meyer also said the tax commission was "not the proper venue to engage in a shift of education policy" in Florida.    

Comments

Who the hell do Florida parents think they are, acting as if they should have a say in their children's education?!?!? The State knows best! The State will make all decisions regarding the education of children. The State is King!

The other TBRC committee voted unanimously in favor of a voucher proposal this morning.

High quality education is not a right, but a privelege. A privelege reserved for the well-to-do in society. Vouchers would allow the children of plebians to corrupt the children of the patricians. Thank God the State has intervened to prevent this. Good heavens, our children might have begun drinking beer directly from the can!!!! KEEP THE LITTLE PEOPLE IN THEIR PLACE!!!! SAY NO TO VOUCHERS!!!!

geeeeee..................

whodathunk that a proposal by jebbathefatt and the piggie legislators would ever be declared "unconstitutional"?

"reading the constitution: u.s. and florida"

should be a required course for prospective piglican candidates before they even begin dreaming of stealing everything that isnt nailed down and subsequently lying about it!!

I believe the judges are wrong. Our constitution is being decided by a bunch of liberals who think if a school teaches religion it is a violation of our constitution. All our constitution hope to prevent is a country mandate religion and it has been abused way too long. I hope this is appealed.

11:16

I think you ought to realize Florida has its own constitution. It's also much clearer on the use of public expenditures for parochial institutions

And those "bunch of liberals" you decry...take a look at the federal courts and take a look at whom the judges were appointed by, and I'd think your ignorance on the subject might take a more enlighted course.

[labor unions rule]

thank god the teachers are members of a pro-democratic anti-choice labor union and commit to further the illiberal education of minors. if you get to the kids first, you can break down the family which always gets in the way of a completely statist and socialist government. the government knows best--and you are too stupid to know otherwise (and we like it that way so we will make sure you stay stupid).

The constitution is clear. The court has ruled. We live in a system of laws, and all sides should respect the rule of law.

The constitution can be changed, but the Taxation on Budget Commission is not the correct venue to move such a proposal. It should come from the "people" who want the change or from the people's representatives in the form of a Legislative Initiative.

Personally, I would love to have a vote on vouchers. Such a proposal would not only lose (fall short of 60%) but it would in fact fail to get 50%. THAT IS WHY IT HASN'T ALREADY BEEN PUT ON THE BALLOT.

Now, until the constitution is changed, it is clear that the state Legisalture must create a high quality system of free public schools. Vouchers are not a substitute for that requirement, and the Legislature cannot create a "second system" to substitute or suplement its responsitibility as designated by the "people" in their contract (the constitution) with their government.

Calling vouchers the "new civil right" while decrying previous US Supreme Court Rulings such as the those that desegregated the public schools as judicial legislation is doublespeak at its finest.

[terminator]

stop the whining losers, you got BEAT!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!

what's your next move Jeb and Ms Levesque? try crawling back under whatever rock you're hiding under!

11:01 states "The other TBRC committee voted unanimously in favor of a voucher proposal this morning."
Does anyone else have info on this and if that is the case why did not Steve B. also post that info!!!!!!

PULEEZE EXCUSE 11.16!!

she or he has consumed farfartoomuch KOOLAID and doesnt understand the nixonian/chimpian standard:

"if the president does it, it isNOT illegal!"

is a real crock of doo-doo!!

will someone please give him or her a cold compress for the head?

Ron...aka Termie..at it again.

Your kids are entitled to a free education provided by the state. Don't like the education they're getting? Work harder and afford to send them to private school, work harder to elect persons who support education and will fund it properly, or home school your kids.

It is not the state's responsibility to provide private education, and tax dollars should not be used to support private enterprise. Be it tax breaks to big business or vouchers to support private schools.

termie,

dont open the champagne just quite yet. another voucher plan passed today in committee.

get a clue, union hack.

[TERMIE IS UNINFORMED]

WHAT'S NEW!!

[Greg]

Right on 1:52pm...my tax dollars should not be used to put kids in private schools. If you want your kid to go to private school, pay for it yourself!

12:03 "if you get to the kids first, you can break down the family."

Have you seen the kids coming into the school system? The families don't have to be broken down; they are in shambles already.

School choice gives parents the right to choose a public school in their county. Using public dollars to fund a private education is a clear misuse of funds.

Vouchers are just another end-around the no-GOD-in-the pledge issue by the arrogant religious right. Divert taxpayer funds away from everyones' kids so they can send them to a religious school and we end up paying for it. That's the real issue, ain't it, Jeb?

[terminator]

4:08 and 6:08
And those ones will go down in flames too losers!
You'll be sucking canal water by the time it's all over.

people pay property taxes for public schools - so what is so wrong about getting it back in the form of vouchers so low-income parents can choose the school to send their child? oh right, it takes money away from the fatcat union bosses at the FEA - never mind my question, go back to what you were doing

8:47 Correctamundo!

The very bleeding hearts that purport to "care" about students undermind those studnts most in need of help.

I say teachers shoud earn their keep! If they can't get results from students they are in the wrong profession. And if the school is failing, the students deserve a parachute to get out.

Enter Vouchers.

If the proposal is without merit, let the Florida voters decide that. Not one senator representing teacher's unions, as in Alex Villalobos; nor the FL Supreme Court or a committee with Gov. Crist appointees leading the opposition.

Let the games begin on the ballot!