Vouchers still dead

Our sister blog the Buzz reports that the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission didn't bite on a proposal to ask voters to put vouchers into the state's constitution.

Tax commission member Roberto Martinez, a Coral Gables lawyer and member of the State Board of Education, 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.

For more information about the proposal, click here.

Comments

[Chris W]

Someday they'll just fund and manage the public schools properly and this whole voucher idea can get thrown in the trash where it belongs.

The final link in the blog is to a "staff analysis" by the TBRC staff of the proposal. This analysis does an excellent job of explaining the reasoning of the Bush v Homes Supreme Court decision. The exact words from the constitution are reviewed and explained. Legal precedent that the court relied upon from previous rulings where government was given both a task and a method of delivery were explained. The meaning of "uniform" within the document was explained. Finally, it spelled out why the only way for voucher advocates to legally get vouchers is to change the constitution.

The current contract between the "people" and their "government" prohibits vouchers for a reason. That contract can be changed, but it should not be ignored by a Legislature or Governor that simply want to have powers that they do not possess.