Senator Linehan talks 'school choice' bill in Norfolk

NORFOLK, Neb. -- In what is slowly heating up to be a big talking point next election cycle, school choice was the topic of choice in Norfolk, Wednesday. 

Attending the Madison County Republicans meeting, Nebraska State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan spoke about LB 753.

The bill is better known as the "Opportunity Scholarships Act," the bill was passed this past legislative session and provides up to $25 million in tax credits.

Under the bill, Nebraskans can pay at most 50% of their state tax liabilities to go toward a scholarship-granting organization (SGO). In turn, these SGOs will use those funds for private school scholarships that will be awarded to eligible students, once regulations are put out. 

"It (LB 753) catches us up with 48 other states in the country who have some kind of school choice," Linehan said. "This program is a tax credit scholarship program of which 24 states already have...I think we've designed a program that will work well"  

However, a movement has been pushing back against LB 753. Support Our Schools Nebraska has been visiting multiple cities this summer with a petition to repeal the legislative bill on a ballot vote.

The organization claims LB 753 will shift the burden of funding essential public programs and services to less affluent taxpayers.

According to their website, Support Our Schools said Nebraska ranks 49th in the nation when it comes to state aid to public schools.

The organization said this aid will only become worse and put more pressure on property taxes as a result.

The organization instead argued taxpayer dollars should be invested in strengthening public schools which are subject to state curriculum standards and open to all students.  

Linehan, however, claimed no funding will be taken away from public schools. 

"[The] taxpayer doesn't gain on this at all," Linehan claimed. "They either send the money to the Department of Revenue, or they send it to the scholarship granting organization, they're out the money. You still owe it, it's just where it goes."  

Linehan said the petition, to her at least, makes no sense, and comes from Nebraskans not truly understanding what LB 753 does.  

"They don't understand," Linehan said. "It boggles my mind. We've given more money to public schools, we've increased our property tax relief funds, we have cut income taxes...I don't know why. It doesn't make any sense- I think people don't understand what it really does. That's why I'm traveling all over the state trying to tell people this is what's really going on." 

Support Our Schools organizers argue private schools that would receive funding under LB753 are not held to the same accountability and reporting requirements as public schools.  

Linehan said she believes the regulation for SGOs will be available by mid-September.