Consultant puts off tuition aid petition
CARSON CITY — Conservative political consultant Chuck Muth said Tuesday he has decided against circulating a petition this spring to let voters decide whether to give tuition assistance to parents if they send their children to private schools.
Muth said there is not enough time to gather the required 58,836 signatures for petitions to amend the state constitution before a May 20 deadline, but he still might circulate another petition later this year that would accomplish the same goal.
Nevada public schools receive about $7,000 per pupil a year in state and local assistance, according to Muth. The state’s share is about $5,100 per pupil.
Under his proposed tuition assistance or “school voucher” plan, low and moderate income families would be given that money and allowed to use it to send children to private schools of their choice.
More affluent parents still would receive tuition assistance under his plan. But it might be only one-half or three-fourths of what lower income parents receive.
Instead of circulating a petition to amend the constitution, Muth said he now plans to circulate one to create a state law that allows school vouchers.
The deadline to submit petitions to create laws is Nov. 11. Muth said that would give him more than enough time to collect signatures.
Petitions to create laws, however, first must be forwarded to the Legislature for consideration. If the 2009 Legislature did not act on his school voucher petition, then it would appear on the general election ballot in 2010.
If voters approve it, school vouchers would be granted to parents in 2011.
Unlike a constitutional amendment that could not be changed without a vote of the people, however, a state voucher law could be repealed by the Legislature after three years.
While Muth does not like the idea that legislators might “undo” a voucher law, he said it is the best option because he would have more time to collect signatures.
Muth said he has not collected much money yet to fund his planned petition effort, but he acknowledged he has spoken with Las Vegas Sands Inc. officials.
It is generally accepted that people circulating petitions need about $250,000 to hire signature gatherers and meet the signature requirements.
Sands Chairman Sheldon Adelson backs the effort, Muth added. Adelson, one of the richest men in America, has donated $25 million to a private high school in Southern Nevada.
“I am hoping he would contribute money,” Muth said. “The Venetian (an Adelson hotel on the Strip) is interested in working with me on this issue.”