Spending on voucher battle cost $8.4 million

"Moving forward, PCE will work aggressively to both find and support solutions to the education challenges facing our state. "Over the past seven years we have established ourselves as a strong, respected voice for education reform," said Bagley. "Our mission continues beyond vouchers as a voice for parents and kids. PCE will be that voice."

The voucher law that the Legislature passed earlier this year would have provided Utah families with a private-school tuition voucher ranging from $500 to $3,000 per student attending a private school, based on parents' income.

But voucher opponents didn't like the idea of shifting public money to private schools.

In March, Utahns for Public Schools filed for a referendum to let voters either repeal or keep the voucher program. In the months following campaign officials spent millions on advertising as well as enlisting grass-roots volunteer efforts to get their message out.

And on Nov. 6, after nearly nine months of fierce campaigning, Utahns voted down the law by 62 percent.

Year-to-date spending by voucher campaigns

2007 voucher campaign spending

Utahns for Public Schools
Total contributions: $3,844,496.99
Total expenditures: $3,217,065.78

Parents for Choice in Education

Total contributions: $5,198,226.53
Total expenditures: $5,181,650.59

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E-mail: terickson@desnews.com