Tag: PARKER SNIDER

In 1999, when the Florida legislature was first considering a meaningful school choice program, opponents predicted the worst. Governor Bush’s plan to offer vouchers to students in failing schools would “kill public education,” according to Leon Russell, then the chairman of the Florida Chapter of the NAACP.

On Wednesday, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R) announced that he is extending his state’s gas tax holiday through Sep. 12 by executive order.

The Illinois legislature, which is dominated by Democrats, voted almost unanimously in favor of suspending the 1% sales tax on groceries in April. Part of a package deemed the “Family Relief Plan,” Illinois’ budget for this year also includes a pause on increasing the state’s gas tax, tax rebate checks of $50-$100 per person, $520 million in property tax credits for homeowners, and an expanded sales tax holiday for school supplies and clothing. 

Starting this upcoming school year, families in Tennessee will be able to enroll in a school choice program that allows eligible students to use taxpayer dollars to attend private schools.  On Wednesday, a Tennessee court lifted its injunction against the Education Savings Account program, which was originally signed into law in 2019. As a result, Governor Bill Lee announced that the program would be active starting this fall.

According to ancient Greek philosopher Plato, it is the great philosophers who are best suited to govern society. Known as “philosopher kings,” they use wisdom, Plato says, to determine how society should operate. Ours is not a country governed by philosopher kings. The Founding Fathers, instead, predicated our government as one of the people. And it is Congress, the gathering of popularly elected representatives, which is given that weighty law-writing authority.

The head of a conservative think tank that seeks to expand school choice has won the runoff race for the Republican nominee for State Superintendent in South Carolina.

Mississippi, like Alabama and other states, has seen a windfall of tax dollars due to high spending and federal stimulus funds. While Alabama legislators have largely determined to spend that money to increase state government, other states like Mississippi are making meaningful tax cuts.