Utah Legislature Haggles over Vouchers and Abortion

By Tracy Medley, 1-31-07

Oh boy! The Utah Legislature has been hard at work this week coming up with old ways to waste taxpayer money. First, the private-school voucher bill, which would give Utah parents the option of using taxpayer cash to send their children to private school, is likely to pass; and secondly, the House Health and Human Services Committee tossed in an unexpected bill asking the legislature to ban abortions in Utah –at any cost.

After years of controversy House Bill 148, the school voucher bill is set for debate on the floor this Thursday according to The Salt Lake Tribune. The bill would essentially “rob Peter to pay Paul” as the cliché goes. Parents could transfer their children to private schools on the taxpayer’s dime, receiving vouchers worth $500 to $3000 per child depending on their financial needs.

The problems with this plan seem endless. For one, how can we expect our already painfully under-funded public school system to improve by diverting money elsewhere? If the intent is to provide free market education, the legislature is missing the point…there already is a free market in the private school industry. Many private schools in fact, already offer scholarship programs for underprivileged children. 

The legislature’s plan also shows undo favor to taxpayers with school aged children. Should childless Utahns be exempt from paying taxes that would fund education just because they aren’t personally benefiting from the school system? Where does it end?

With our public school system struggling to survive, while we can’t pay our teachers a fair enough wage to keep them in the state – despite Utah’s record financial success last year – now is hardly the time to avert much needed funds away from the majority of Utah’s children.

And speaking of children, while some in the legislature might not feel obligated to fund educating them, they sure want Utah women to feel obligated to have them. The House and Human Services Committee adopted a bill Tuesday that will confront the longstanding Supreme Court ruling of Roe v. Wade, making it illegal to seek an abortion in the state of Utah, except in cases of rape, incest or threats to the mother’s health.

Utah has attempted this before, passing an abortion ban in the early 1990’s that made its way before the U.S. Supreme Court and cost taxpayers an estimated $1 million dollars to defend, according to The Tribune. The ban was eventually dismissed as unconstitutional.

The Tribune quotes Rep. Paul Ray, the Republican from Clearfield who is sponsoring the bill as saying, “I’m excited to take this challenge to the Supreme Court. We’re known for our family values and our children. We have the opportunity to lead the nation.”

Well, okay, but is making a statement really worth $1 million in taxpayer dollars? Not according to House Dems on the committee took issue with the bill’s practicality.
According to The Tribune two Dems in particular raised their concern. Rep. Phil Riesen of Draper said, “I am firmly convinced that if men were the childbearers, abortion would be legal and would not be challenged.”

And Rep. David Litvack of Salt Lake City went further arguing that $1 million in legal fees is too high a price for the legislature to shrug off, “It’s irresponsible to spend tax dollars in a blatantly unconstitutional effort,” he said.

Is it really worth years of litigation and millions of dollars in taxpayer money to make a point? Especially when that point (Okay hippies, Utah majorly opposes abortion!) is something America is already well acquainted with.

*Any opinions expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect that of New West as a whole. Do you have a different take on the issues? Do you want to add your voice to the conversation? We would love to hear from you. New West welcomes all points of view and reminds its readers they are always welcome in fact, encouraged to contribute their voice to the page. For more information email Tracy Medley at: tracy@newwest.net