Editor, Times-Union: There is a new deduction on this year’s Indiana income forms that should make you evaluate the good sense of our state legislature.
State Senator Dennis Kruse, R-Auburn, sponsored the bill, which was co-sponsored by State Senator Carlin Yoder, R-Goshen, last year that approved a tax break for families who home school or send their children to a private or parochial school. The $1,000-per-child deduction is not available to parents who send their children to public school. Senator Yoder told a South Bend TV station last year that the deduction was to provide fairness for parents who were already paying private school tuition and couldn’t apply for the new voucher entitlements. The tax break is estimated to reduce state revenue by $3.7 million this year.
Government collects taxes to provide public education for the common good of all, a core principle. That being said, families are free to not participate in public education and send their children to private or religious schools or home school. That is their choice in our free society. The issue is why government should subsidize education beyond its mandate, reduce state revenues and make up this shortfall by cutting funds for public education? I ask Senator Carlin Yoder, is this fair? It appears that fairness is certainly lacking in this situation. Lastly, the school voucher program is a separate issue deserving serious debate.
