Utahns in poll say no to vouchers

Private school voucher supporters have their work cut out for them in trying to persuade Utahns to vote for a voucher program in the state, according to a recent poll.

But supporters say regardless of what the poll says, they will have the votes they need this fall — it's just going to take some time and talking.

In a new Dan Jones & Associates poll conducted for the Deseret Morning News and KSL-TV, 57 percent of those surveyed said they would most likely vote against a voucher program. Thirty-six percent said they would vote for vouchers while 6 percent were undecided. The poll of 410 Utahns was conducted June 26-28 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percent.

"I am very gratified with those results, they sound very good, but I know between now and then there is going to be a great deal of effort and money used to try and convince people to vote otherwise," said Kim Burningham, chairman of the Utah State Board of Education and spokesman for the anti-voucher Utahns for Public Schools. "I am encouraged by the results and want to see it continue, but we've got to work hard to make sure that is the case."

Voucher proponents acknowledge they have a lot of work to do, and the key is getting citizens to fully understand what the voucher program does.

"We do have quite a bit of education to do in the community, and that is why our plan revolves mostly around grass-roots efforts and really taking the time to explain the true merits of the voucher program," said Leah Barker, spokeswoman for Parents for Choice in Education.

"We feel that when we are faced with that 57 percent and we have an opportunity of three to five minutes to sit down with them and explain certain things, then they are more likely to change their mind and say they will be voting for vouchers," Barker said.

In a similar poll conducted by PCE, officials followed the question with whether those polled had someone in their immediate family who works for the public school system. Barker said the likelihood of someone supporting vouchers was significantly higher if there were no professional ties to the public school system.

But regardless of poll numbers, Barker said she is confident that, by the time November rolls around, most of Utah will be in support of vouchers.

"I think that it is in line with the value system that Utah families have — when families really understand what the voucher program is about, then they are going to vote 'yes' because it is right in line with their value and belief system," Barker said.

The voucher program, which was approved by the Legislature this past spring, would provide Utah families with a private-school tuition voucher, ranging from $500 to $3,000 per student, based on the parents' income.

It also would appropriate $9.2 million for mitigation money to hold schools harmless for five years after a student leaves and goes to a private school.

The anti-voucher group Utahns for Public Schools sought a referendum last March, which would allow the public to decide if it wants a voucher program in the state. That vote is set for Nov. 6.

"I just feel that the referendum was a promise from us to citizens of the state that we would do everything we could to make sure that vouchers did not become a reality here and we intend to continue to do that," said Pat Rusk, former Utah Education Association president and member of Utahns for Public Schools.

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E-mail: terickson@desnews.com