Voucher issue unifies Demos, divides GOP

Sometimes being a minority political party has its advantages — it's easier to speak with one voice on important and emotional issues because its officeholders hold a single view.

The Utah Democratic Party is now fighting with a unified front against private school vouchers — producing fliers and helping anti-voucher groups with voter identification and campaign strategy, said Todd Taylor, Democratic Party executive director. The voucher law goes before voters Nov. 6.

The Utah Republican Party is officially staying out of the voucher fight — at least at this time.

The state GOP — by far the majority party in the state, with two-thirds majorities in the Legislature plus the governorship — calls for "parental choice" in education in its party platform. "Parental choice" is a catchphrase for vouchers. The platform also seeks "competitive excellence" in all education. Voucher supporters say private school vouchers will lead to education competition, with public schools becoming stronger and better because of it.

Yet, while the platform clearly leans in favor of vouchers, a number of GOP legislators voted against the main voucher bill in the 2007 Legislature.

Thus, if the GOP runs a pro-voucher campaign before November's citizen referendum vote, it would be putting money and organizational power opposite some of its own officeholders' wishes.

"We are not taking stands" in the voucher fight at this time, says Ivan DuBois, GOP state executive director. DuBois couldn't comment on whether the party will abandon its neutrality and come out in favor of vouchers before the election. He added: "Who knows what kind of events leading up to (the election) could get us involved" in taking a side — which would almost assuredly be in favor of vouchers.

"As of now, there are two or more groups on the different sides of this issue" doing a good job of trying to educate residents, said DuBois. "We encourage every citizen to study both sides of the issues; as of now we have not been asked to participate," said DuBois.

Votes on the main voucher bill, HB148, show that in the 2007 Legislature 17 House Republicans and two GOP senators voted against vouchers. Fifty-five of the 75 House members are Republicans, and 21 of the 29 senators.

And HB148 passed by just one vote in the House.

Most of the GOP leadership in the House and Senate voted for vouchers, but there are two exceptions. House Majority Whip Gordon Snow, R-Roosevelt, and House budget chairman Ron Bigelow, R-West Valley, both voted against HB148.