The Public Record
Bob Schaffer is a former U.S. Congressman who represented Colorado's 4th congressional district from 1997 to 2003. A member of the Republican Party, Schaffer was known for his strong advocacy of national defense, particularly in support of a national missile defense system. He also took firm stances on social issues, including opposition to the sale of fetal tissue from abortions. Schaffer has been involved in various political and educational initiatives following his congressional career, including serving as the president of the Colorado Community College System.
That is right. He came and testified. But that is indicative of a Federal system where we try to make laws and establish policy to help children in different neighborhoods throughout America. It is too impersonal. By the time those dollars…
that is our goal, is to change the Tax Code in a way that makes it easier for Americans to contribute to these kinds of organizations so that they can help more children, not just these kinds of organizations, but also contribute directly…
In Arizona, the tax credit has been studied. From 1998 to 2000, the Arizona credit generated $32 million in new funds. It did not take a dime away from the Arizona public education school funding structure, and it provided almost 19,000…
We had something like the Florida plan in the draft of the President's bill as it was introduced last year, and it got stripped out right at the first committee hearing. It did not last very long. That is, frankly, why we are here now…
I appreciate the gentleman focusing on the superior quality of a tax credit proposal because it does focus on children rather than institutions. The gentleman is correct. Again, if we go through the chart here of how a taxpayer dollar…
We are offering a choice to take a portion of these dollars and contribute them directly to an education organization, a student tuition organization or an education investment organization that would exist as they do in many States today…
And the tax credit will not be the equivalent amount that we are proposing, all of the dollars that the taxpayer is forced, they are still going to send money.
I am attempting during this next hour to discuss an important issue, the issue of education, and to discuss it within the context of education tax credits which is a new kind of exciting idea that is being considered here in Congress. It…
I would like to talk about why this is a superior method to funding children in schools as opposed to the system we have today. We cannot reduce the tax burden of Americans to the extent that many of us would want, certainly the amount…
What is also important is that there are nine States that have no income tax, so they are really looking to the Federal Government to provide this kind of assistance and education funding through tax freedom in those States. I might also…
In the hearing we conducted last week on this topic, we had one opponent who was opposed to Joshua and his academic dreams. There was a group called Citizens for the American Way, and it was their representative.
Let me go back to the Arizona model because it has been studied heavily and it is probably the example of a State that has helped the greatest number of children through an education tax credit. It is useful and instructive for us to…