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NJ weighs tax breaks for private school

By TOM HESTER Jr. | Associated Press Writer

June 21, 2008

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TRENTON, N.J. - As New Jersey struggles to improve its poor, urban schools, the liberal-leaning state is considering a measure generally favored by conservatives _ government-backed scholarships to help pay for children to attend private schools.

Seven states and Washington, D.C. offer publicly funded school voucher programs, and New Jersey lawmakers are considering a variation for students attending some of its poorest schools, mostly in bigger cities.

"We cannot continue to look at things the way we have in the past or else this state will not be able to keep its place as one of the best," said state Sen. Raymond Lesniak, D-Union.

But the plan faces fierce opposition from groups who contend the state should be focusing efforts on improving poorly performing urban schools.

"Bad policy, pure and simple," said Joyce Powell, president of the state's largest teachers union.

Publicly funded school voucher programs exist in Arizona, Florida, Maine, Ohio, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin and in Washington, D.C., according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Lesniak is pushing legislation that would provide scholarships to help low-income children in Camden, Elizabeth, Jersey City, Lakewood, Newark, Orange, Paterson and Trenton pay tuition at nonpublic schools.

The scholarships would be paid by corporations, which in turn would receive state tax breaks. Over the first five years, the program would cost the state $360 million.

The proposal has been embraced by corporations. Paul Tyahla of the Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey, said employers have begun questioning the value of a New Jersey high school diploma and want alternatives.

"It's one component of making public schools, private schools better, education for all children better," said Christopher Emigholz of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association.

Not all lawmakers are convinced.

State Sen. Teresa Ruiz, D-Essex, attended Catholic schools, but said she cannot support legislation that wouldn't help every Garden State student.

"I can't in good consciousness support a bill that doesn't take care of a collective but only supports a few," Ruiz said.

But parents and advocates from the state's poorest cities are pressing New Jersey lawmakers to approve the measure.

Carmen Alvarado raised five children in one of the nation's poorest cities and saw enough to know she prefers a private school education over public schools.

"Schools where you worry more about your children's safety and whether they will come home at night," Alvarado said.

The Rev. Reginald Jackson, director of the New Jersey Black Ministers Council, said doing nothing would "foolishly continue down the same path."

"This legislation is not anti-public school," Jackson said. "It is pro-quality education."

Martin Perez, of the state's Latino Leadership Alliance, acknowledged New Jersey has some of the nation's best public schools.

"But on the other side, it's also true that we have some of the worst schools in the nation," Perez said. "The problem is the Latino kids and the black kids are over-represented in the bad schools and this project gives us an opportunity to get out of those schools."