Prioritize People, Covid-19 Treatment Over Private School Vouchers, Dems Say

Democratic Senators Voice Concern About $40 Million ESA Funding when Tennesseans are in Need

NASHVILLE—Democrats in the Senate say $40 million earmarked for Gov. Bill Lee’s private school voucher program in next year’s state budget should instead be spent on bolstering the state’s response to the Corornavirus pandemic.

“Our communities face two pressing and significant challenges: connecting vulnerable people to treatment whether they’ve lost their health coverage or have no insurance at all and connecting small business owners and people who are suffering financially to emergency assistance,” Sen. Brenda Gilmore (D-Nashville) said. “By simply delaying the voucher program a year, we could more than double our commitment to these Tennesseans in need.”

By law, the private school voucher program is not required to begin until fall 2021, but the Lee administration has pushed for a fall start a year ahead of schedule.

“In the spirit of working together to overcome the pandemic that is gripping the state, our full focus and attention on the budget should be given to addressing public health and safety priorities,” Sen. Sara Kyle (D-Memphis) said. “We could easily free up $40 million dollars to provide care and treatment to vulnerable Tennesseans by moving the start date of the private school voucher program.”

In the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee meeting Wednesday afternoon, Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Jeff Yarbro said the budget should ensure the governor has the resources to respond to the health and economic needs of people.

“There’s a lot of austerity in this budget,” Yarbro said. “I think there are misgivings—when you consider the number of reductions the governor is making—about proceeding with the implementation of the ESA voucher program when the deadline is a year from away.”