FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Howie Beigelman
212-613-8311
May 14, 2009

ORTHODOX UNION DISAPPOINTED WITH DEFEAT OF TUITION TAX CREDIT PROPOSAL IN SOUTH CAROLINA
Legislature missed an opportunity to at once help struggling students, families in need, and to save taxpayer dollars

Today, the Orthodox Union (Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America), the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization, expressed its disappointment that a proposal to allow tuition tax credits to families who send their children to nonpublic schools was defeated in the South Carolina Senate. The OU had submitted testimony in support of the legislation, S.520, to the Senate. Other supporters included a bipartisan slate of legislators and State Treasurer Converse Chellis.

Tuition tax credits – both in the form of personal tax credits to individuals and corporate tax credits to businesses – exist in several states, including neighboring Georgia. Independent studies, including a recent Harvard University report, indicate the programs save taxpayers money, increase educational opportunity for all, especially poor and middle income families, and are a lifeline to many students who struggle in traditional schools. For parents who have children in private schools or wish to, these tax credits often make the difference between such a choice or a school that does not meet their children’s needs.

Howie Beigelman, OU Deputy Director of Public Policy stated:

In an economy where families pinch every penny and government stretches public funds to do more with less, it is sad the Legislature missed an opportunity to at once help struggling students, families in need, and to save taxpayer dollars. We hope that next year the Legislature will correct this error and we look forward to working with them, education advocates, and families to make this so.

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