A source in the state capital who has been following the school choice/voucher money sends the following information, which may be of interest to the grass-roots folks so incensed at the situation with the SLPS school board.
State Rep. Ted Hoskins, who sponsored the voucher-like legislation that is making waves in Jefferson City, and state Rep. Rodney Hubbard both have received contributions from the same donors dating back to 2004 to their legislative committees and campaign committees, according to our source. Four of the donors sit on the board of directors for the Alliance for School Choice. One of the donors is a leading force behind Advocates for School Choice. Another donor, David Brennan, is head of White Hat Management, which runs many of Ohio’s charter schools.
According to our source, Edison Schools, Inc. made donations to both Hubbard and Hoskins. The corporation is contracted out by school districts and charter schools across the country in managing elementary and secondary schools.
Several of the donors have worked closely with the Walton Family Foundation in advocating for school choice. The Walton Family Foundation, headed by Wal-Mart heirs, is a substantial supporter of All Children Matter PAC, a pro-choice, pro-voucher organization that contributed over $196,000 to efforts supporting the campaign of Governor Matt Blunt.
In 2005, according to our source, All Children Matter-MO PAC also contributed over $7,000 to Hoskins and Hubbard, who are currently chair and vice-chair of the Special Committee on Urban Issues, which heard and passed House Bill 639, a tuition-tax credit school voucher bill.
An overwhelming majority of the initial sponsors of HB639 received financial support from All Children Matter-MO PAC in 2004, according to our source.
A new education tax credit voucher bill, HB 1479 (substituted by HB1783) co-sponsored by Hoskins and Hubbard, again was heard and passed by the Special Committee on Urban Issues. On January 31, 2006, according to our source, Hubbard and Hoskins both received $5,000 from the All Children Matter-MO PAC.
Cheryl Dozier, former legislative assistant to former state Rep. Betty Thompson (whose name is on a scholarship fund that would be created by the current legislation), received a total of $37,000 from All Children Matter-MO PAC since the 2004 elections, some of which was given while Thompson was still in office, according to our source. Dozier is the principal in Dozier & Associates. Dozier & Associates has spent hundreds on state legislators since 2004, including Hoskins, Hubbard and state Rep. Connie Johnson.
Former SLPS school board member Bill Haas has filed for Hubbard’s seat. We are sure to hear much more about this issue as the next election cycle gets spinning.