Many citizens have inquired about tax credits for students attending religious
schools. Last session HB 342 proposed a $500 tax credit from Idaho state
income tax for parents sending their children to other than public schools.
Similar
legislation will also be proposed in 1998.
Article IX, Section 5 of the Idaho Constitution reads, "Sectarian
appropriations prohibited. Neither the legislature nor any county, city,
town, township, school district, or other public corporation, shall ever
make any appropriation, or pay from any public fund or moneys whatever,
anything in aid of any church or sectarian or religious society, or for any
sectarian or religious purpose, or to help support or sustain any school,
academy, seminary, college, university or other denomination whatsoever;
nor shall any grant or donation of and, money or other personal property
every be made by the state, or any such public
corporation, to any church or for any sectarian or religious purpose."
This section prohibits the use of public funs to support religious schools,
either
directly or indirectly.
Jason Monteleone, Legislative Director, of the Idaho ACLU, notes that under the
First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution there is the Establishment of Religion
Clause: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religon."
The Idaho Legislature and I as an elected Representative are sworn to uphold
the Constitution of the State. In order to uphold constitutional standards
I cannot support any legislation that would use public tax money for the
support of religious schools.
Tom Trail, Representative
District 5
Dr. Tom Trail
International Trails
2039 Mt. View Rd.
Moscow, Id. 83843
Tel: (208) 882-6077
Fax: (208) 882-0896
e mail ttrail@moscow.com