Denver Ballot Measure 1A - Preschool

[DavidDvorkin]

My first impulse was to say, "Of course! Let's fund preschool programs via a small sales tax increase." And it'll probably pass.

But I'm now leaning to voting against it because the money can go to any licensed preschool, including ones run by churches or other religious organizations. In effect, this includes a taxpayer-supported voucher program.

Here's the Web site of the organization that supports the measure: http://www.preschoolmatters.org/

If there's an organized opposition, I haven't heard from them. (So if they do exist, they're not very well organized, ha, ha.)

Any thoughts on this?

[Hawkeye-X]

1. I'd vote for it, then challenge my State Senator/REp

to remove religion out of this measure and make it for public use only.

I have Ken Gordon and Andrew Romanoff for my reps. They are both the top people :)

Hawkeye-X

[DavidDvorkin]

2. That's an idea

I e-mailed the organization whose Web site I gave. I explained my objections. They replied, quite politely.

Their argument is that the usual objection to vouchers is that they take funds away from public schools, but in this case, there is no existing public program, so that objection doesn't apply. That's not true, since there are public preschools. But beyond that, my ojbection to vouchers is based on church-state separation. Of course voucher programs should not be allowed to take funds that would otherwise go to public schools, but even a voucher program was set up so that it prevented that from happening, I would still object to any public money going to religious institutions.

I haven't replied to the e-mail yet, but I should, expressing the above.

I also haven't looked at the Post and News online sites to see if there have been any letters or editorials about the measure. If no one has already objected on the same basis as I do, then I need to write a letter to the editor.

Not that it will make any difference. I think this will pass handily.

[paulk]

3. I'm opposed to this ballot measure

My taxes already pay for public education, why should I pay for private education, reigious or not? If someone wants to send their kid to pre-school, they should pay for it themselves.

And Denver voters have really got to stop tacking on to the sales tax everytime they want to pay for some new initiative. Our sales taxes in Denver are already several percentage points higher than the surrounding 'burbs - and yes, people do buy out of town to avoid that sales tax.

Take a drive down S. Broadway some day and look at all the empty storefronts. The economy here in Denver is in the toilet, and has been in the toilet for the last six years. Why add to the sales tax and put even more pressure on our small businesses?

And the real question is - with the economy in such bad shape, can we even afford yet another tax increase? Denver has got to start living within it's means.

[DavidDvorkin]

4. That's a good point

A city can't afford to have taxes that are too much more than those of surrounding areas.

I haven't seen any recent polls on this measure.