Tuition Tax Credits (H 5127A as amended)

The state budget adopted in 2007 included $1 million in tax breaks to businesses making donations to “scholarship organizations” that funnel financial aid to students attending private and parochial schools. The ACLU and public school advocates objected at the time to this diversion of tax funds to religious institutions, particularly as public school budgets across the state were being decimated. Regrettably, with no fanfare, the House Finance Committee slipped into this year’s budget an amendment increasing the tax break to $1.5 million even as public schools continue to financially struggle.