SCHOOL CHOICE NEEDS NEW FUNDING SOURCE

Aug 14, 2023

Last year, the Nevada Supreme Court struck down a ballot initiative put forward by the group Power to Parents because it would have redirected education dollars away from public schools to school vouchers. It was an insane ruling. The Dem-led Nevada Supreme Court ruled that a Constitutional Ballot Initiative that changed the State Constitution was unconstitutional.

Dems cut off all funding for ESA in this last legislative session, throwing 1,400 kids on the streets. Gov. Lombardo just found money from a non-profit to fill the hole this year, this time.

The Nevada K–12 education budget allocates almost $12 billion in education spending, a $2.6 billion increase in education funding. This funding increases per-pupil funding by more than $2,500 in fiscal year 2025, a more than 25% increase.

Back in 2016, RINOs led by Gov. Sandoval created the Commerce Tax to supposedly help public schools. The new $2 Billion tax was the largest in state history. It led to an all-out war within the Republican Party. Unfortunately, the real Republicans were right. Throwing more money at the broken and corrupt public education system would never work. Today, the district gets $12,000 per student, up almost 100%. Yet teachers pay has not gone up much at all.

While conservative Republicans have stood up to any efforts to raise taxes, that may be our only hope of saving our kids futures. ESAs (School vouchers) today cost about $6,300 per student, almost half the cost of public school. I believe Republicans need to put forward a ballot initiative that raises taxes and fully funds school vouchers. We need a “dedicated revenue source” to comply with the Nevada Supreme Court ruling. Perhaps a half-cent sales tax increase or some other small increase on the edge.

Keep in mind that every child that uses the $6,300 voucher doesn’t cost us $12,000 going to public schools. It actually saves money in the end. Yes, the politician will probably blow the extra cash. But our goal must be to save our children from the failed public school system.

I am open to suggestions, but no one has one better so far. We need swift action now. We are losing the next generation of kids and, with it, our nation’s soul.

This time we have a Republican Governor who has made School Choice the issue. His leadership on such a ballot initiative and in the legislative elections next year will be critical. In the end, Gov. Lombardo’s legacy will be defined by his efforts to make School Choice the law of the land for every child.