Advocate Online

From Capitol to Campus

By the time this issue of the Advocate reaches your home, the 2000 Presidential election will be just a month away.

The differences between the Democratic and Republican tickets in the November election are clear. Governor George W. Bush has demonstrated little interest with postsecondary education.

"Higher education is not my priority," Bush told the San Antonio Express-News the year before last.

Bush is devoting much of his education attention instead to privatizing public schools. He's pushing a plan that would funnel public tax dollars into vouchers for tuition at private and religious elementary and secondary schools.

Vice-President Al Gore opposes vouchers—and has focused considerable attention on postsecondary ed. The Direct Student Loan Program and HOPE Scholarships, both created by the Clinton-Gore administration, exemplify the priority attention Al Gore, as President, would give higher education.

To continue the advances of the past eight years, Vice-President Gore is proposing a College Opportunity Tax Cut that would allow families to choose between a tax deduction and a 28 percent tax credit on up to $10,000 in college tuition.

The Gore goal: to make college more affordable to low- and middle-income Americans.

In addition, the Vice-President's education plan would offer employers up to a $6,000 tax credit per employee for advanced training in information technology and other technology skills.

The election on November 7 will be critical to the future of public education, at every level. Be sure to make your voice heard!