It’s politics at its worst.
One of the most frustrating and counterproductive aspects of the way the legislative process works, especially at the state and national levels, is lawmakers’ proclivity for tying two unrelated proposals together – thus making their fate depend on one another. This governmental disease kills off many a good idea and gives life to others that should die.
It’s expected to happen again this year in the state Legislature, where a proposal to reduce the amount by which school levies must pass from a 60 percent super majority to a 50 percent simple majority is expected to be tied to a bill to allow experimental charter schools. It happened last year, and neither proposal passed.
One reason for the linking of the items is often a deal-making compromise – “I’ll pass yours if you pass mine.” The obvious problem with this approach is that it prevents each measure from being considered on its own merits.
The simple-majority proposal for levies is a good one. Everything else voted upon – including tax cutting initiatives – is able to pass with only a simple majority. In times of government belt tightening, which in this state is largely a result of those same initiatives, schools more than ever need a level playing field. The right to ask voters to tax themselves has been pointed to by tax-cut proponents as an alternative to straight government funding. But several recent school levies have failed despite receiving approval percentages in the high 50s.
Charter schools may or may not be a good idea, but they certainly are controversial. Another, and in this case more likely, motive for tying the plans together is that opposition to one will kill the other.
It amounts to schools being held hostage. And taking hostages is a serious crime.
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