Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Mangum superintendent supports education tax credit

Senate Bill 407 "has the potential to impact positively even more public schools by increasing the dollar amount they can receive to implement or expand innovative programs," Mangum Public School superintendent Shane Boothe writes in a letter to the Tulsa World. "This is critical for rural districts, like mine, that can lag behind those with larger ad valorem tax bases."
Opponents also argue this bill would further divert funds from public schools. But if this logic holds, all tax credits divert funds from public schools, including much larger tax credits for industries like medical research, renewable energy and aerospace. Shouldn’t you also oppose these?
We cannot attack the only tax credit that provides a direct benefit to public schools and ignore much larger ones for other industries. SB 407 doesn’t absolve the need to fund education. Its supporters wholeheartedly advocate for increased teacher pay and education funding in general. It will just help improve a school’s ability to solicit even more donations. 
Businesses will continue to donate using tax credit programs. Let’s help them give more to those that desperately need it: our public schools.

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