The Boast Bill

In this context, Boast stands for Building Opportunities for All Students and Teachers, which of course is the nice-sounding name given to this bill by its supporters, which include Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, the Catholic hierarchy in Maryland, and the Jewish Community Relations Council.

The subject is state money for non-public schools, indirectly. Rather than say that public money will be given directly to parochial schools, the Boast bill would encourage people and corporations to give money to parochial schools, and then they could take credits, which means the State of Maryland would give them back the money they contributed to parochial schools. After a phase-in period of two years, the State would budget $15,000,000 for this tax credit.

In other words, people and corporations give money to parochial schools, and the State of Maryland gives you back that money when you file your tax returns. Indirectly, the State is giving public money to parochial schools.

Those who support the Boast bill claim it will also help public schools but I cannot understand their allegation. When the State gives a tax credit to taxpayers for doing something, such as giving money to parochial schools, that means less money comes to the State to use for other purposes, such as public schools. When there is less tax money, of course the State has to cut somewhere. In this case, if Maryland is giving money to reimburse those who give money to parochial schools, will that lessened tax money cause less money to go to public schools?

The Boast bill was introduced in the legislature several times in the past but it failed to pass. This year Governor Hogan has made it a priority of his and those who supported it in the past, such as the Catholic officials in Maryland and the Jewish Community Relations Council, are supporting it again. Those who believe strongly in separation of religion and government are opposing the Boast bill.

There was a hearing yesterday in the House of Delegates' Ways and Means Committee on the Boast bill. There will be at least one more hearing in the State Senate, which passed the Boast bill in the past. If this bill passes both houses, there is no doubt that Governor Hogan would sign it.