Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, has been using a “delay tactic” to avoid saying whether he will opt the state into U.S. President Donald Trump’s federal school-choice tax-credit program, according to Jim Walsh, a Washington state representative and chair of the state’s Republican Party.
Ferguson said on Tuesday that he is reviewing his options. On Friday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said that she was opting New York into the program. Jewish groups and lawmakers urged the Washington governor to follow suit.
The Trump administration said in new guidance that the Education Freedom Tax Credit program, which is set to take effect on Jan. 1, allows taxpayers to claim dollar-for-dollar federal tax credits of up to $1,700—or $3,400 for married couples filing jointly—for donations to organizations that provide scholarships for elementary and secondary-school expenses.
The program requires governors to formally opt their states in for parents to be eligible to access the tax credits. Initially, families earning up to 300% of the area’s median income can qualify for scholarships, including those whose children already attend private schools.
Ferguson’s office has stated that it was waiting for rules from the U.S. Department of the Treasury before rendering a decision. Brionna Aho, communications director for the governor, told JNS that “the governor’s position has not changed.”
“He has made it clear we would review the rules thoroughly before making a decision,” she said. “Now that we have the rules, that review is underway. That will take some time. When the governor makes a decision, he will announce it.”
‘Pure partisan politics’
Chris Reykdal, the state superintendent of public instruction, wrote to Ferguson on Oct. 9 urging him to reject the program. Opting in would “cost the state money, provide the program with no meaningful oversight and risk violation of state and federal civil rights laws, because we would not be able to prohibit the inclusion of private organizations that discriminate against Washington students,” he wrote.
Reykdal said he was concerned that Washington would not be able to reject organizations that “turn students away because of their religion or lack of religion, disability status, sexual orientation or gender identity.”
Walsh, who leads the local GOP party, told JNS that Reykdal’s letter was “pure partisan politics” and accused the governor of using the superintendent as a proxy, so that he wouldn’t have to make the case himself.
“Ferguson is a coward. Reykdal is a useful idiot,” Walsh told JNS. He also called the state superintendent a “gullible political ally.”
Walsh and a group of Republican lawmakers introduced legislation in January urging Ferguson to opt into the federal program.
That measure remains stalled in the state House’s education committee. The program “is an innovative way to allow greater parental choice in K-12 education,” Walsh told JNS.
He also called Reykdal’s proposal that states be allowed to set their own criteria “unconstitutional,” since, he said, it could exclude religious schools.
“Every bit of our constitutional protections of freedom of assembly and freedom of religion are consistent with the idea that a Jewish day school could use the federal tax credit program to help fund its operations,” Walsh told JNS.
“It is absolutely constitutional that a Jewish day school could say, ‘We are a Jewish day school. We admit primarily or exclusively Jewish students,’” he said.
The Samis Foundation has partnered with the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle to urge supporters to contact Ferguson.
“We know that attending Jewish day school has a profound and lasting impact on a child’s long-term connection to community and their Jewish identity,” the groups stated.
“Today, in a time when antisemitism is at decades-high levels, you have an opportunity to help make this connection a reality for more Jewish students across our region,” they stated. “But we need Gov. Ferguson to opt in so our community can keep these critical tax dollars at home.”
