Funding Public Education
by Senator Brent Hill
There are those who believe the legislature wants to inflict damage on public schools. My mother, who taught school for 36 years, would be upset to hear that—but she wouldn’t believe it. Admittedly, the legislature has a handful of outspoken lawmakers who disparage public education, but the vast majority of legislators place a high value on Idaho’s children and the teachers who educate them. Year after year they have worked to protect school funding. Now, faced with unprecedented shortfalls in state revenues, they are left with few choices. Certainly, the legislature should do more to close tax loopholes, prioritize expenditures and produce greater efficiencies in government, but it is inappropriate to label its failures as animosity toward public education.
There are those who believe some citizens wouldn’t mind paying higher taxes to help our public schools. We agree. In fact, the legislature has provided an excellent way for concerned citizens to “tax themselves” to help public education in Idaho. Idaho tax law provides a significant tax incentive designed to encourage people to financially assist their schools. Not only are donations to public schools tax deductible, but Idaho provides a tax credit for contributions to public schools. This credit essentially reimburses the donor for half of the contribution (up to a $400 contribution for a couple). Those citizens that can afford to self-impose their own “tax increase” can provide aid to their local schools at a cost that is but a fraction of the benefit received by the schools.
Hundreds of citizens contribute in other ways, volunteering to help at local schools. They assist in the classroom, tutor students with special needs, clean up the school grounds, work with parent-teacher organizations, etc. Donating our time can greatly help our schools survive this economic crisis.
Many of our friends and neighbors have lost their jobs. Some are struggling to hold on to their homes. Some are postponing dreams of higher education, starting a business, or retirement. Like state government, they have had to reduce expenditures and reevaluate their priorities. This is not a time to further burden them with tax increases. But it is time to take action ourselves instead of waiting for government to tell us what to do. To those who would be willing to pay more taxes to save our schools, please direct whatever time and money you can to your local schools and universities. We must not let our children’s education be held hostage by a temporary economic slowdown. Their future and, indeed, the future of Idaho depend on our generosity.