Koster has learned from Obama, and his voting record. ‘When it can make you look bad, don’t vote’

I don’t see the problem Democrats could have with this…

I’m sorry but lets get real about vouchers. They would simply subsidize the rich and wealthy folk who send their children to private schools. And if you really think John Burroughs, MICDS, Westminister, and other private institutions are just going to open there doors without any restrictions to inner city kid, your extremely naive.

If Rex feels so strong about giving kids an opportunity to have these private school education, why not start a non-for-profit that focuses solely on that? After all he is a billionaire. Why would he want to divert public dollars into private institution? He has donated millions upon millions to this cause. Those millions he donated in campaign contributions could have successfully started and funded hundreds of inner city kids and parents to have ’school choice’, without relaying on tax dollars to do it. I will even go one step further in this arguement, I’m sure he find other donors willing to help jumpstart this and even get a substantial grant from federal, state, and local grants to help this program succeed.

#12, Why is it that Rex is advised to use his money for a pet cause, but you don’t feel the same about the folks in your party. John Edwards talked about poor under bridges, but didn’t stop and offer a sandwich. He could have afforded it. Barack talks about the folks that can’t afford healthcare. He could purchase healthcare for 500 people and really make a difference. Same with Bill and Hillary. If every wealthy democrat in favor of socialized medicine would just write a check to cover 100 people’s insurance, the entire country would be covered.

By the way, I agree with you about Rex. Instead of donating to our representatives, his money could be better spent. But alas, it’s his money. He can burn it if he wants.

Benini, I don’t exactly see how Harris is the one politicizing the issue when he’s calling Koster out for refusing to take a position. Democrats generally disagree with the bill, and Republicans generally support it. No one else on here has seemingly had a problem taking a position on the issue. And yet Chris Koster won’t tell us one way or the other? And how exactly is it playing politics to expect a candidate for Attorney General to stake out a position on an issue that’s liable to face the state over the coming four years? You may not like Harris, but he has every reason to question Koster on this one.

In fact, HELLO JO, Koster’s response above fails to offer any reason why he missed the vote. I sincerely hope your or someone else will press Koster for an answer. Why didn’t he vote? Was he sick? Did he have to meet with a donor about funneling another $100,000, did he have to hit the men’s room? Give us a reason, Chris. And while you’re at, please let us know how would you have voted if you had been in the room to cast your vote? You’re on that committee for a reason, right?

I accept Harris’ prerogative to question, I am not impressed with Koster’s abstention. But these candidates are still in session, and we get the sense from Harris that this bill is “bad”, but has he said why? Has he offered a better option? I think these may be good questions for a legislator to mention, as well as simply the fact that his opponent is stuck in cement.

Black Democrat’s comments interested me. I’ve seen a lot of fear-mongering about how the rich are going to benefit and those kinds of arguments, but if you look at places like Milwaukee and the similar tuition tax credit for special needs students in Florida, well, they are doing good in those areas. Could it work for Missouri? Well, try it out for 6 years–that’s no longer than we gave the SLPS to turn itself around. If it doesn’t float your boat, it will sunset.

Interestingly enough, the description offered by Black Democrat about putting money into a scholarship fund is almost exactly what would happen with SB993.

Democrats say wait it out, stick with the public school system. That’s easy to say when it isn’t your kid who will be flipping burgers for the rest of his life.

republican leaning independent - Yes, I agree, it would be nice if Koster stood for something. Of course, he’s caught between a rock and a hard place here … or more precisely, between a big pile of contributions from Sinquefield, and his need to look like a Democrat. Lest anyone misunderstand, I am **NOT** defending Koster.

BD - Vouchers are unlikely to “subsidize the rich and wealthy folk who send their children to private schools” because they won’t be offered to people who live in Parkway and Ladue. A voucher program is most likely to target students in districts which have lost their certification by the state, or which do very poorly at meeting state standards. That is to say, they are likely to be available almost exclusively to poor, black parents.

Standupdemocrats - That has to be the stupidest video I’ve ever click away from after 30 seconds. If that’s the best Missouri Democrats can come up with, you should be dreading November.

So no rich people live in the city who send their kids to private schools already? Only ‘poor black parents’…….are you kidding me? How stereotypical is that?

The thought that we should give public tax dollars to private schools is crazy! Maybe the should open district borders SLPS seemed to be doing better when they had more diversity (deseg).

Actually, if you recall the initial dis-accreditation (un-accreditation?) of SLPS, all of the neighboring county school said they wouldn’t accept SLPS students, not a single one of ‘em, even though that would be the difference between them getting a diploma at the end of the year and a “certificate”. Transferring to an adjacent, accredited district is actually what the state constitution says should happen, Black Dem, but it leaves a loop for those schools to duck out. In this instance, we’re not even talking about public vs. private, we’re talking about public vs. public, and St. Louis kids still don’t have an option.

Oh, and I thought I’d see what other tax credits are being voted on…hm, one that would reimburse someone for sales tax on a Missouri-made car. The idea that MY tax money is going to someone else’s CAR is crazy…but oddly enough, no one’s up in arms about that one.

I like tuition tax credits. It makes sense to me in a way that vouchers do not. Instead of everyone’s tax money going into a scholarship fund for private school tuition, this would simply be a deductible if someone chooses to give to the scholarship fund…just like any tax-deductible charitable donation. And here’s the interesting part–scholarship amounts are usually LESS than what the state pays per pupil, so even though Missouri doesn’t see that tax revenue, they would likely save money on the difference.