Utah and vouchers

It's been interesting to watch the voucher election in Utah unfold this year. There isn't a whole lot else going on in state elections of great interest.

Two things caught my attention today. One is a valuable blog from one who is pro-voucher but sat down and did the math for himself. It is refreshing to see a lack of rhetoric in this piece and I commend it to you.

You can find it here.

He wrote:

"Regretfully, I think I will be dropping my support of referendum 1 with the forlorned hope that the idea doesn't die permanently in this state. If this damages my credibility -- so be it. The idea is good, but the plan's execution has that 1 major flaw for me. This paradigm shift has not been an easy one for me to embrace."

This writer lost NO credibility with me. I admire anyone who will take a rational look at issues and tell the rest of us what he found.

The other event that I found was a group of GOP state legislators who stood up to explain their objection to the voucher program, based on facts, logic and data.

"I respectfully disagree with my Republican colleagues who support the flawed voucher law," said Rep. Sheryl Allen, R-Bountiful. "Utah voters, especially Republican voters, need to hear from Republican lawmakers that this law has too many flaws and will cost too much money — money that could be spent in our public schools."

The article also reported:

While GOP lawmakers who support vouchers urged voters to read the two bills that could establish the voucher program, Allen said she also wants citizens to read the impartial voter information packet that "describes the costs and so-called savings associated with Referendum 1."


Seems to me that the voucher bill being voted on isn't universally supported, even by Republicans. And there sure seem to be a lot of questions about it.