Rep. Elmer: Kotek rejects millions for schools over politics

House Republican Leader Lucetta Elmer Responds to Oregon Opt-Out of Federal Tax Credit That Could Generate Millions For Education
BY Oregon State Republican House Leader Lucetta Elmer,

SALEM, Ore. — Today, House Republican Leader Lucetta Elmer (R-McMinnville) responded to Governor Tina Kotek’s decision to decline to opt Oregon into a federal program that would offer up to a $1,700 tax credit for donations to K-12 scholarship-providing organizations.

The program, first detailed in H.R.1, would encourage taxpayers to donate to nonprofits that assist families in need with K-12 school tuition, tutoring, after-school enrichment, and special education services.

It is estimated that if just 1% of Oregonians donated the full credit amount, scholarship-granting nonprofits would receive up to $11 million a year; if 15% of Oregonians donated, they would receive up to $161 million a year; and if 30% of Oregonians made these kinds of donations, education-based nonprofits could receive $323 million a year.

“We are facing an education funding crisis; what the Governor did today was frankly irresponsible. It’s a shame to see Oregon’s leadership deny our constituency opportunities in the name of political postering, but it’s not like we couldn’t see it coming. This past session, one of my two allotted bills would have required Oregon to opt into this program,” said Leader Elmer.

HB 4133, which required the state to opt in to the federal program, stalled in committee without so much as a public hearing.

“This program would have generated critical funding for scholarship-granting organizations, which would have benefited Oregon students. Now instead, Oregonians can still receive the federal tax credit, but they will have to give to a state that has opted in,” Leader Elmer concluded.