GA state government give-aways to the elite

Did I mention the low regard I have for our state elected officials?   There seems to be no end to the new ways Republicans find to take from the poor and give to the well-heeled.  Or, a variation on this, take from the public sector and give to the private sector, which benefits their cronies.

They are taking over the public school system in the guise of "improving education for Georgia's children by offering choice" -- to move from pubic schools to charter schools.

They made a big inroad by the scurrilously deceptive campaign that got the constitutional amendment passed to recreate a state board for approving charter schools that the local process has rejected.   The members of this board are appointed solely by politicians, not educators.   And the funding for that campaign to pass the amendment came mostly from out of state corporations that set up --- for profit --- charter schools.

The state's educators were opposed to this amendment, first as unnecessary, because there exists a method for approving new charter schools already.  Second, because it was clearly a political move to gain power over the schools and bypass the professional educators.  Third, it was passed by deception in the wording on the ballot, which gave the impression that it was simply a vote to allow charter schools in Georgia and gave none of the above information.   Further, the governor's office issued an gag order forbidding any teachers or administrators to speak in any official capacity in opposition to the amendment, while the governor himself went around the state speaking for the amendment.

Now, they're wanting to increase another boondoggle for their own kind -- again disguised as giving more choice for parents to move their children to better schools.   This is a law that allows individuals or corporations to make donations to a fund to support scholarships in private schools -- "vouchers" in all but name.

The way it supposedly works is that the donor can take a tax credit (not a deduction, a dollar for dollar credit) for the contribution;  and he can designate which school it goes to.   There are a few instances in which it actually benefits needy families.   But in an under the table scheme it often winds up paying tuition of the children of the person who made the donation and who are already attending that school.   The only benefit there is to the wallet of the parents who essentially get a tax credit for the tuition they pay for their children's private school.

This reduces the state revenue, dollar for dollar, the same time the state budget has been cutting funds for public schools.   So it's simply not true that it does not reduce the state funding for public schools, as they defensively claim.   It doesn't have to be true, that's true.  But, in fact, at this time, it is true.

Bah humbug !!

Ralph