Data shows most parental choice tax credits go to high-income families

[00:00:03]BEEN MADE. AND OF COURSE, BEEN MADE. AND OF COURSE, BEEN MADE. AND OF COURSE, WE'LL FOLLOW.

[00:00:05]WE'LL FOLLOW.

[00:00:06]WE'LL FOLLOW. >> TONIGHT, NEW DATA SHOWS YET >> TONIGHT, NEW DATA SHOWS YET >> TONIGHT, NEW DATA SHOWS YET AGAIN MORE AND MORE WEALTHY AGAIN MORE AND MORE WEALTHY AGAIN MORE AND MORE WEALTHY FAMILIES ARE BENEFITING FROM FAMILIES ARE BENEFITING FROM FAMILIES ARE BENEFITING FROM OKLAHOMA'S PRIVATE SCHOOL TAX OKLAHOMA'S PRIVATE SCHOOL TAX OKLAHOMA'S PRIVATE SCHOOL TAX CREDIT PROGRAM WHILE MORE AND CREDIT PROGRAM WHILE MORE AND CREDIT PROGRAM WHILE MORE AND MORE LOWER INCOME FAMILIES ARE MORE LOWER INCOME FAMILIES ARE MORE LOWER INCOME FAMILIES ARE BEING SHUT OUT. NEWS FOR BEING SHUT OUT. NEWS FOR BEING SHUT OUT. NEWS FOR SPENCER HUMPHREY DIGGING INTO SPENCER HUMPHREY DIGGING INTO SPENCER HUMPHREY DIGGING INTO THIS AND FOLLOWING THE MONEY.

[00:00:21]THIS AND FOLLOWING THE MONEY.

[00:00:21]THIS AND FOLLOWING THE MONEY. >> AND WHILE LAWMAKERS ARE >> AND WHILE LAWMAKERS ARE >> AND WHILE LAWMAKERS ARE SAYING SPENCER, SAYING SPENCER, SAYING SPENCER, >> YEAH, NOT SHOW WHILE THE >> YEAH, NOT SHOW WHILE THE >> YEAH, NOT SHOW WHILE THE STATE IS PUTTING MILLIONS MORE STATE IS PUTTING MILLIONS MORE STATE IS PUTTING MILLIONS MORE TAXPAYER DOLLARS TOWARD THIS TAXPAYER DOLLARS TOWARD THIS TAXPAYER DOLLARS TOWARD THIS PROGRAM, THE NUMBER OF WEALTHY PROGRAM, THE NUMBER OF WEALTHY PROGRAM, THE NUMBER OF WEALTHY OKLAHOMA FAMILIES TAKING OKLAHOMA FAMILIES TAKING OKLAHOMA FAMILIES TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT HAS GONE UP BY ADVANTAGE OF IT HAS GONE UP BY MORE THAN 10%. MEANWHILE, THE MORE THAN 10%. MEANWHILE, THE MORE THAN 10%. MEANWHILE, THE NUMBER OF AVERAGE IN NUMBER OF AVERAGE IN NUMBER OF AVERAGE IN LOW-INCOME FAMILIES HAS GONE LOW-INCOME FAMILIES HAS GONE LOW-INCOME FAMILIES HAS GONE DOWN BY ALMOST AS MUCH.

[00:00:44]DOWN BY ALMOST AS MUCH.

[00:00:44]DOWN BY ALMOST AS MUCH. >> NEW DATA, SAME STORY. A >> NEW DATA, SAME STORY. A >> NEW DATA, SAME STORY. A MAJORITY OF STUDENTS MAJORITY OF STUDENTS MAJORITY OF STUDENTS BENEFITING FROM OKLAHOMA BENEFITING FROM OKLAHOMA BENEFITING FROM OKLAHOMA SO-CALLED SCHOOL CHOICE SO-CALLED SCHOOL CHOICE SO-CALLED SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAM COME FROM WEALTHY PROGRAM COME FROM WEALTHY PROGRAM COME FROM WEALTHY FAMILIES WHO COULD ALREADY FAMILIES WHO COULD ALREADY FAMILIES WHO COULD ALREADY AFFORD TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN AFFORD TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN AFFORD TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO PRIVATE SCHOOL. WE TOLD YOU TO PRIVATE SCHOOL. WE TOLD YOU TO PRIVATE SCHOOL. WE TOLD YOU THIS PAST SCHOOL YEAR OF THE THIS PAST SCHOOL YEAR OF THE THIS PAST SCHOOL YEAR OF THE NEARLY 250 MILLION TAXPAYER NEARLY 250 MILLION TAXPAYER NEARLY 250 MILLION TAXPAYER DOLLARS FUNDING THE PROGRAM TO DOLLARS FUNDING THE PROGRAM TO DOLLARS FUNDING THE PROGRAM TO PAY FOR STUDENTS. PRIVATE PAY FOR STUDENTS. PRIVATE PAY FOR STUDENTS. PRIVATE SCHOOL TUITION AROUND. 23 AND SCHOOL TUITION AROUND. 23 AND SCHOOL TUITION AROUND. 23 AND A HALF MILLION WENT TO A HALF MILLION WENT TO A HALF MILLION WENT TO STUDENTS COMING FROM STUDENTS COMING FROM STUDENTS COMING FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES, LOW-INCOME FAMILIES, LOW-INCOME FAMILIES, QUALIFYING FOR GOVERNMENT QUALIFYING FOR GOVERNMENT QUALIFYING FOR GOVERNMENT BENEFITS. ANOTHER 55 MILLION BENEFITS. ANOTHER 55 MILLION BENEFITS. ANOTHER 55 MILLION WITH THE FAMILIES MAKING BELOW WITH THE FAMILIES MAKING BELOW WITH THE FAMILIES MAKING BELOW 75 GRAND. THEN 72 MILLION WENT 75 GRAND. THEN 72 MILLION WENT 75 GRAND. THEN 72 MILLION WENT TO FAMILIES MAKING BETWEEN 75 TO FAMILIES MAKING BETWEEN 75 TO FAMILIES MAKING BETWEEN 75 IN 150 GRAND AROUND 41 MILLION IN 150 GRAND AROUND 41 MILLION IN 150 GRAND AROUND 41 MILLION TO FAMILIES BETWEEN A 15225 TO FAMILIES BETWEEN A 15225 TO FAMILIES BETWEEN A 15225 GRAND 8 MILLION TO FAMILIES GRAND 8 MILLION TO FAMILIES GRAND 8 MILLION TO FAMILIES BETWEEN 225 250 GRAND AND BETWEEN 225 250 GRAND AND BETWEEN 225 250 GRAND AND 48 MILLION TO FAMILIES MAKING 48 MILLION TO FAMILIES MAKING 48 MILLION TO FAMILIES MAKING MORE THAN 250 GRAND OKLAHOMA'S MORE THAN 250 GRAND OKLAHOMA'S MORE THAN 250 GRAND OKLAHOMA'S MEDIAN INCOME IS AROUND 65 MEDIAN INCOME IS AROUND 65 MEDIAN INCOME IS AROUND 65 GRAND. THAT MEANS LAST SCHOOL GRAND. THAT MEANS LAST SCHOOL GRAND. THAT MEANS LAST SCHOOL YEAR TAXPAYERS PAID FOR 11,074 YEAR TAXPAYERS PAID FOR 11,074 YEAR TAXPAYERS PAID FOR 11,074 STUDENTS FROM LOW AND MIDDLE STUDENTS FROM LOW AND MIDDLE STUDENTS FROM LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES TO ATTEND INCOME FAMILIES TO ATTEND INCOME FAMILIES TO ATTEND PRIVATE SCHOOLS. 10,733 FROM PRIVATE SCHOOLS. 10,733 FROM PRIVATE SCHOOLS. 10,733 FROM UPPER MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES UPPER MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES UPPER MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES AND 17,435 FROM HIGH INCOME AND 17,435 FROM HIGH INCOME AND 17,435 FROM HIGH INCOME FAMILIES. BUT NOW NEWLY FAMILIES. BUT NOW NEWLY FAMILIES. BUT NOW NEWLY RELEASED DATA FOR THE UPCOMING RELEASED DATA FOR THE UPCOMING RELEASED DATA FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR SHOWS THE CONTRAST SCHOOL YEAR SHOWS THE CONTRAST SCHOOL YEAR SHOWS THE CONTRAST IS EVEN MORE STARK. THE NUMBER IS EVEN MORE STARK. THE NUMBER IS EVEN MORE STARK. THE NUMBER OF LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME OF LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME OF LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME STUDENTS GETTING THE BENEFIT STUDENTS GETTING THE BENEFIT STUDENTS GETTING THE BENEFIT DROPPED BY NEARLY 900.

[00:02:06]DROPPED BY NEARLY 900.

[00:02:06]DROPPED BY NEARLY 900. MEANWHILE, UPPER AND MIDDLE MEANWHILE, UPPER AND MIDDLE MEANWHILE, UPPER AND MIDDLE INCOME STUDENTS GETTING IT INCOME STUDENTS GETTING IT INCOME STUDENTS GETTING IT ROSE BY ONE SINGLE STUDENT IN ROSE BY ONE SINGLE STUDENT IN ROSE BY ONE SINGLE STUDENT IN HIGH INCOME STUDENTS. WELL, HIGH INCOME STUDENTS. WELL, HIGH INCOME STUDENTS. WELL, THEY ADDED ON ADDITIONAL THEY ADDED ON ADDITIONAL THEY ADDED ON ADDITIONAL NEARLY 1300. I'M NOT SURPRISED NEARLY 1300. I'M NOT SURPRISED NEARLY 1300. I'M NOT SURPRISED THAT THE NUMBER OF HIGH INCOME THAT THE NUMBER OF HIGH INCOME THAT THE NUMBER OF HIGH INCOME FOLKS GETTING THIS CREDIT IS FOLKS GETTING THIS CREDIT IS FOLKS GETTING THIS CREDIT IS GOING UP. STATE SENATOR JULIA GOING UP. STATE SENATOR JULIA GOING UP. STATE SENATOR JULIA KURTZ SAYS SHE AND HER KURTZ SAYS SHE AND HER KURTZ SAYS SHE AND HER COLLEAGUES WARNED THIS WOULD COLLEAGUES WARNED THIS WOULD COLLEAGUES WARNED THIS WOULD HAPPEN. THIS PRIVATE SCHOOL HAPPEN. THIS PRIVATE SCHOOL HAPPEN. THIS PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS WERE SOLD AS A WAY TO VOUCHERS WERE SOLD AS A WAY TO VOUCHERS WERE SOLD AS A WAY TO GET LOW INCOME KIDS ACCESS TO GET LOW INCOME KIDS ACCESS TO GET LOW INCOME KIDS ACCESS TO BETTER SCHOOLS. I MEAN, WE BETTER SCHOOLS. I MEAN, WE BETTER SCHOOLS. I MEAN, WE HAVE TO BE REAL THAT THE HAVE TO BE REAL THAT THE HAVE TO BE REAL THAT THE SCHOOLS ARE CHOOSING THE KIDS.

[00:02:33]SCHOOLS ARE CHOOSING THE KIDS.

[00:02:33]SCHOOLS ARE CHOOSING THE KIDS. >> SCHOOLS ARE ALSO RAISING >> SCHOOLS ARE ALSO RAISING >> SCHOOLS ARE ALSO RAISING TUITION. WE'VE HEARD THERE'S TUITION. WE'VE HEARD THERE'S TUITION. WE'VE HEARD THERE'S AN AVERAGE INCREASE OF THE AN AVERAGE INCREASE OF THE AN AVERAGE INCREASE OF THE TUITION ACROSS THE STATE ABOUT TUITION ACROSS THE STATE ABOUT TUITION ACROSS THE STATE ABOUT THE SAME AS THE TAX CREDIT THE SAME AS THE TAX CREDIT THE SAME AS THE TAX CREDIT THIS PAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

[00:02:43]THIS PAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

[00:02:43]THIS PAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION. REPUBLICANS IN THE STATE REPUBLICANS IN THE STATE REPUBLICANS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE VOTED TO EXPAND LEGISLATURE VOTED TO EXPAND LEGISLATURE VOTED TO EXPAND THE PARENTAL CHOICE TAX CREDIT THE PARENTAL CHOICE TAX CREDIT THE PARENTAL CHOICE TAX CREDIT PROGRAM, GIVING IT ANOTHER PROGRAM, GIVING IT ANOTHER PROGRAM, GIVING IT ANOTHER 25 MILLION DOLLARS. THIS 25 MILLION DOLLARS. THIS 25 MILLION DOLLARS. THIS >> IS JUST PENNIES THAT WE'RE >> IS JUST PENNIES THAT WE'RE >> IS JUST PENNIES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. THEY GIVE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. THEY GIVE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. THEY GIVE FAMILIES OPTIONS TO DO FAMILIES OPTIONS TO DO FAMILIES OPTIONS TO DO SOMETHING THAT THEY MIGHT WANT SOMETHING THAT THEY MIGHT WANT SOMETHING THAT THEY MIGHT WANT TO DO IS BASED ON INCOME. THE TO DO IS BASED ON INCOME. THE TO DO IS BASED ON INCOME. THE LOWER INCOMES HAVE FIRST SHOT LOWER INCOMES HAVE FIRST SHOT LOWER INCOMES HAVE FIRST SHOT OF THAT MONEY. BUT DESPITE OF THAT MONEY. BUT DESPITE OF THAT MONEY. BUT DESPITE GIVING THEM THAT FIRST GIVING THEM THAT FIRST GIVING THEM THAT FIRST PREFERENCE, THE TAX CREDIT PREFERENCE, THE TAX CREDIT PREFERENCE, THE TAX CREDIT SYSTEM IS STILL HEMORRHAGING SYSTEM IS STILL HEMORRHAGING SYSTEM IS STILL HEMORRHAGING THOSE LOW-INCOME STUDENTS.

[00:03:07]THOSE LOW-INCOME STUDENTS.

[00:03:07]THOSE LOW-INCOME STUDENTS. KURT ARGUES BY DESIGN, A WHOLE KURT ARGUES BY DESIGN, A WHOLE KURT ARGUES BY DESIGN, A WHOLE LOT OF FOLKS DON'T HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS DON'T HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS DON'T HAVE A CHOICE ON PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

[00:03:11]CHOICE ON PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

[00:03:11]CHOICE ON PRIVATE SCHOOLS. >> THEY DON'T HAVE THE >> THEY DON'T HAVE THE >> THEY DON'T HAVE THE TRANSPORTATION. DON'T HAVE A TRANSPORTATION. DON'T HAVE A TRANSPORTATION. DON'T HAVE A PRIVATE SCHOOL NEAR THE MOST PRIVATE SCHOOL NEAR THE MOST PRIVATE SCHOOL NEAR THE MOST OF RURAL OKLAHOMA DOESN'T HAVE OF RURAL OKLAHOMA DOESN'T HAVE A PRIVATE SCHOOL.

[00:03:16]A PRIVATE SCHOOL.

[00:03:16]A PRIVATE SCHOOL. >> SO REALLY THIS IS A >> SO REALLY THIS IS A >> SO REALLY THIS IS A SPECIFIC GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO SPECIFIC GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO SPECIFIC GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ABLE TO ACCESS THE SCHOOLS ARE ABLE TO ACCESS THE SCHOOLS ARE ABLE TO ACCESS THE SCHOOLS IF THEY WANT THEM TO THAT. THE IF THEY WANT THEM TO THAT. THE IF THEY WANT THEM TO THAT. THE BILL'S AUTHOR ARGUED THERE ARE BILL'S AUTHOR ARGUED THERE ARE BILL'S AUTHOR ARGUED THERE ARE THERE ARE RULED THERE ARE THERE ARE RULED THERE ARE THERE ARE RULED THERE ARE PLENTY OF RURAL SCHOOLS THAT PLENTY OF RURAL SCHOOLS THAT PLENTY OF RURAL SCHOOLS THAT ARE PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

[00:03:27]ARE PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

[00:03:27]ARE PRIVATE SCHOOLS. >> AND IF PEOPLE WANT MORE OF >> AND IF PEOPLE WANT MORE OF >> AND IF PEOPLE WANT MORE OF THEM, THIS IS THE WAY THAT WE THEM, THIS IS THE WAY THAT WE THEM, THIS IS THE WAY THAT WE CAN GET IT. BUT KURTZ SAYS CAN GET IT. BUT KURTZ SAYS CAN GET IT. BUT KURTZ SAYS THERE'S NO EVIDENCE THAT'S THERE'S NO EVIDENCE THAT'S THERE'S NO EVIDENCE THAT'S HAPPENING AND THE NUMBERS HAPPENING AND THE NUMBERS HAPPENING AND THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE. SO WHEN I SEE DON'T LIE. SO WHEN I SEE DON'T LIE. SO WHEN I SEE SOMETHING LIKE, SOMETHING LIKE, SOMETHING LIKE, >> MORE FOLKS GOING TO HAVE >> MORE FOLKS GOING TO HAVE >> MORE FOLKS GOING TO HAVE OVER $250,000. THAT IS UNFAIR.

[00:03:41]OVER $250,000. THAT IS UNFAIR.

[00:03:41]OVER $250,000. THAT IS UNFAIR. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE OUR $50,000 WE SHOULD NOT HAVE OUR $50,000 WE SHOULD NOT HAVE OUR $50,000 A YEAR. FIREFIGHTERS PAYING A YEAR. FIREFIGHTERS PAYING FOR SOMEONE WHO MAKES $250,000 FOR SOMEONE WHO MAKES $250,000 FOR SOMEONE WHO MAKES $250,000 PRIVATE SCHOOL. WE HAVE TO BE PRIVATE SCHOOL. WE HAVE TO BE PRIVATE SCHOOL. WE HAVE TO BE REAL THAT THIS MONEY IS OUR REAL THAT THIS MONEY IS OUR REAL THAT THIS MONEY IS OUR SHARED GOAL IN PRIORITY.

[00:03:55]SHARED GOAL IN PRIORITY.

[00:03:55]SHARED GOAL IN PRIORITY. >> AND WE DID REACH OUT TO >> AND WE DID REACH OUT TO >> AND WE DID REACH OUT TO BOTH HOUSE SPEAKER KYLE BOTH HOUSE SPEAKER KYLE BOTH HOUSE SPEAKER KYLE HILBERT AND PRATT SENATE HILBERT AND PRATT SENATE HILBERT AND PRATT SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEM LONNIE