Breaking news funding of private religious school vouchers is unconstitutional

[Speciesamused]

Today the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission by a vote of 16 - 9 failed to get the necessary 2/3 vote needed to pass Constitutional Proposal #40. This proposal sought to place on the state ballot an amendment to the Florida Constitution that among other things would have allowed for "public funding" of private and religious schools and directly overturned the Florida Supreme Court's Bush v. Holmes decision invalidating the state's publicly-funded school voucher program."

This is great news! If you are one of the many Florida activists who contacted the Commission, YOU made a huge difference on this one and you can go ahead and pat yourself on the back for helping to score this victory. We certainly thank you.

With last week's passage of Proposal 20, we still must fight through Election Day to keep the important "no-aid" provision in the Florida Constitution, but in the meantime, it would be great if you could thank the members of the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission who voted right on Proposal 40.

Please e-mail a "thank you" to the following commissioners who voted with us, and to non-voting ("Ex Officio") Commissioner Dan Gelber for speaking out against the harmful measure.

* Martha W. Barnett -- [email protected]
* Talbot "Sandy" D'Alemberte -- [email protected]
* Jacinta Mathis -- [email protected]
* John M. McKay -- [email protected]
* Bob McKee -- [email protected]
* Lesley J. "Les" Miller -- [email protected]
* Randy Miller -- [email protected]
* Jade T. Moore -- [email protected]
* Darryl Rouson -- [email protected]
* Rep. Dan Gelber (Non-voting) -- Click to e-mail

Thanks again!

-- Your Allies at People For the American Way
* The decision in Bush v. Holmes held that public funding of private religious school vouchers is unconstitutional under the "no-aid" provision of Florida's state Constitution.
:grouphug:

[Divine Discontent]

1. hmm interesting indeed! eom

[seafan]

2. Jeb and Marco's vaunted constitutional voucher amendment collapses in defeat

Great news! Thanks to everyone who contacted the members of the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission to defeat this harmful attempt to obliterate church and state separation in our state constitution.

We did it.




Plan to allow public money to go to private education falls one vote shy

By Linda Kleindienst | Tallahassee Bureau Chief
April 4, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - A move to permanently enshrine Florida's controversial private school voucher program in the state constitution failed Friday to win support of the state's powerful tax commission.

The plan, which would have allowed the state to spend public money on private education programs, fell one-vote shy of getting on the November ballot.

It takes 17 votes from the 25-member commission to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot. The measure fell one vote short.

The primary proponents, who worked in the administration of former Republican Gov. Jeb Bush, argued that parents deserve the right to have a choice in how their students are educated.

.....

Florida's landmark voucher program – the only statewide voucher program in the country - was a cornerstone of Bush's education reforms. It allowed students to attend private school with public dollars if their public school received an F grade twice in a four-year period. But it was declared unconstitutional by the Florida Supreme Court, which ruled that the state constitution prohibits using public funds for private programs.

.....

Added former Senate President John McKay of Bradenton: "We should be talking about tax and budget issues, not re-inventing the education system in Florida. Be cautious before you open the coffers of state government."

Voting against the plan were Jade Moore, John McKay, Bob McKee, Randy Miller, Martha Barnett, Jacinta Mathis, Darryl Rouson, Talbot “Sandy” d’Alemeberte and Les Miller.

“We are … setting up the situation where there is going to be a claim on the public coffers to fund private, religious education,” said Barnett in opposing the plan. “I think that runs afoul of one of the basic, underlying premises of our republic.”

This is a good day for public education in Florida.

[seafan]

4. Jeb and Rubio are spitting nails. How dare this stacked commission defeat their devious plans.

It was a disappointing defeat for Levesque and other voucher proponents. They had urged the governor, Senate president and House speaker to stack the commission with pro-voucher appointees. Levesque and others then spent months laying the groundwork and drafting two separate proposals designed to embed in the constitution new protections for state money money spent on faith-based and private schools.

http://www.bradenton.com/local/story/510565.html

[bluevoter4life]

3. Damn you Species, you beat me to the punch

Still, great news for the public school and the Florida taxpayers.

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. Shame this didn't get the attention it deserved.