I've always been puzzled at how these types of bills keep on
being introduced. Parents who wish to send their children to
private schools should simply do so. The argument that those
parents should not be required to pay for both a private school as
well as paying tax dollars to support public schools spawns a slew
of other arguments. Shouldn't the tax credit be expanded to anyone
or any couple that does not currently have children attending public
schools? And if the argument is that some parents can not afford
to send their children to private school without the tax credit,
then there should be a low water mark based on income that allows
parents below the line to utilize this credit to send their children
to a private school when without this credit they would not have
the option to do so. This would somewhat serve to attempt to level
the playing field for low to moderate income families. High income
families have the choice already.
Personally, I feel that an educated populous is a good thing. Hence,
public schooling is a good thing. I also think that having an alternative
is a good thing. Hence, private schooling is a good thing. However,
if the mindset is that private schools are already so much better than
the public schools, then why is a tax incentive needed to make them
that much more attractive?
-Scott