Walker vows to aid special-ed students hurt by veto

Gov. Olene Walker, who vetoed a voucher bill for students with disabilities, wants the parents she angered to trust her.

She promised Monday they will get a piece of the bill's $1.4 million to help special education students with private school tuition, whether legislators back her veto-compromise or override her actions.

"Even if I have to go out and raise it myself, you will get (the money)," Walker told about a dozen parents gathered Monday at the Carmen P. Pingree School for Children With Autism. "You can hold me to it."

Parents, however, are leery.

"The governor's saying great things," said Cheryl Smith, mother of the bill's namesake. "But I have some real concerns about whether she can do what she says, because of what I'm being told by . . . legislators."

At issue is parental choice and who controls the money for their children's education.

HB115 was named "Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarships" after Smith's 5-year-old son, who attends Pingree. The bill sought to give parents of students with disabilities up to about $5,400 for private school tuition.

But the bill raised concerns with Walker. It gave $1.4 million in one-time money for a three-year program and raised constitutional concerns over having the state Board of Education oversee a private program with public school funds.

Walker vetoed the bill. But she wants to give the $1.4 million to the board to flow to private schools helping students with disabilities.

Public schools already spend about $1 million a year to do just that, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Steve Laing said.

Detail of Walker's plan would be worked out by the school board, which plans to announce a task force of parents and policymakers Friday.

Walker said she also plans to include more money for the program in her budget proposal.

But parents, upset that Walker has not met with them until now, want guarantees.

The plan would require legislative approval, perhaps at a special session. But it's questionable if lawmakers would support it.

"If she called us into special session, I wouldn't be surprised if the Legislature passed the same bill again," said House Speaker Marty Stephens, R-Farr West, who is among nine Republicans running for governor. "The fact she's not even gone over the plan or talked to any of us about the plan, I don't know how serious about this she is."

Legislators are being polled on whether they want to override the veto. Several GOP gubernatorial candidates challenging Walker are expected to call for the override at a press conference today.

Walker said she is surprised her veto has become so political. "I was looking for solutions to a problem . . . I had no idea this would become a campaign issue for so many candidates."

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E-mail: jtcook@desnews.com