The Rendell Administration — a.k.a. sock puppet for the teachers union — cuts funding for the Pennsylvania Educational Improve Tax Credit Program (EITC) by $10 million in its proposed budget despite increasing education spending by $354 million, and the REACH Alliance has launched Operation Restore, in an attempt to bring spending to the program back to $75 million.
The EITC, which may have quietly become the most successful school choice program in the country, was developed by State Rep. Sam Rohrer (R-128) who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor.
The EITC budget was cut by $15 million last year despite education spending increasing by $300 million, according to Nathan Benefield of the Commonwealth Foundation.
Benefield said that before the cuts scholarships were provided to 44,000 low- to moderate-incomestudents, albeit Rohrer recently said the program serves over 50,000 students.
The average EITC scholarship is around $1,100, compared withper-pupil spending of $13,000 in school districts – thus saving taxpayersover $400 million per year, noted Benefield.
Operation Restore features news about the EITC,a page to contactyour lawmakers, and townhall forums across Pennsylvania.