Candidate Bob Heaton is apparently in favor of education policies that could undermine the quality of the public school systems in Vigo and Owen counties.
Bob Heaton supports the use of public tax dollars for private school expenses.
He has proposed a tax-supported voucher system for private schools. Even Indianapolis Republican Mayor Steven Goldsmith opposed taxpayer funded vouchers for private schools, noting that "You cannot have ...vouchers without taking $800 million to $1 billion out of the public school system statewide or imposing $1 billion in new taxes. (Indianapolis Star, October 2, 1991). Certainly, in today’s economy the costs would be even greater.
As our state representative, Vern Tincher will not impose the cost of private schools on taxpayers. While we all respect the choice of parents to have their children attend private schools, Rep. Tincher believes that public tax dollars should pay for public education.
Rep. Tincher’s plans for public education include reducing costs for working and middle class families and providing equal educational opportunities for all children. Without raising taxes, he believes that the 2009 Indiana General Assembly can help all students and families by providing full-day kindergarten for all students and by reducing the costs of textbooks to all families.
The Vigo County School Corporation would like to offer full-day kindergarten in all the elementary schools but the uncertainty of state funding creates a barrier to proceeding.
Allowing public dollars to go to private schools will further reduce the funding available to public schools which already are pressed to provide staffing for appropriate class size and for needed programs.
The choice in HD 46 is clear: Rep. Vern Tincher supports public schools, full-day kindergarten and lower textbook costs. Candidate Bob Heaton wants to take money away from public schools or raise taxes in order to pay for private schools. Taking public dollars from public schools to finance private schools is not good public policy.
Rep.Vern Tincher is the best choice for public education in Vigo and Owen counties.
— Mark Lee
Terre Haute
