Using federal scholarship program ignores NE voters

Elected leaders at the highest levels still aren’t getting the message when it comes to using Nebraska tax dollars to help fund private education.
Gov. Jim Pillen, joined recently by Congressmen Adrian Smith and Mike Flood, announced that Nebraska will participate in a new federal scholarship tax program intended to help families pay for private school. Pillen hailed it as a “game changer” for Nebraska families, adding that “Nebraskans totally, totally agree.”
On that point, the governor is simply wrong, and the proof lies in last year’s election.
This federal dollar-for-dollar scholarship tax credit was included in President Donald Trump’s much-touted “One Big Beautiful Bill” and won the support of Nebraska’s entire congressional delegation. Yet Nebraska voters clearly rejected a nearly identical concept last November when they overturned the state’s own private school scholarship law at the ballot box. It was the third straight year the idea had been debated, and each time the public made its position clear: taxpayer dollars should stay in public schools.
Under the new federal measure, people who donate to scholarship-granting organizations — typically tied to private schools — can receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit of up to $1,700. In effect, it’s a back-door voucher system that redirects public resources into private institutions without the accountability, transparency, or oversight required of public schools.
Unlike Nebraska’s prior proposals, this federal program isn’t limited to low-income families. It allows participation for those earning up to three times the median household income in their area, which means that many affluent families will qualify. That raises a legitimate concern that this policy primarily benefits families who already can afford private education, while draining potential revenue that could support the public schools serving the vast majority of Nebraska’s children.
What’s most troubling about Nebraska’s decision to opt in is that it disregards clear citizen input. Voters have spoken more than once on this issue, yet state leaders are acting as though they know better and should have the final say.
Families in Nebraska already have options. The state’s option enrollment program allows students to attend schools outside their home district, providing flexibility within the public system. But for those who choose private education, that decision has always carried a personal financial commitment — not a shared obligation for all taxpayers.
Nebraska voters made their stance clear, yet their voices were ignored.
-- Kurt Johnson