House Private School Tuition Tax Credit Review Committee Schedules First Meeting

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX The first meeting of the Private School Tuition Tax Credit Review Committee formed by Speaker Kirk Adams (R-Dist. 19) to review and assess the individual tax credit program has been scheduled for Wednesday, October 14. Rep. Rick Murphy, a Peoria Republican and Chair of the Committee, said his first meeting will be an informational meeting to brief members about the current issues associated with the private school tuition tax. To ensure a bipartisan approach in the effective evaluation of the tuition tax program, I have met with a member of the Committee, Rep. Tom Chabin (D- Dist. 2), who is also the ranking Democrat on House Ways and Means, to discuss agenda setting and any other potential issues for the Committees upcoming meetings, Rep. Murphy explained. Three meetings are planned between October and December with each designed to provide important information about the current state of the tax tuition program. In our first meeting the Committee will hear from staff, the Department of Revenue and from parents to assess how the tax credit program is working and ensure it is effective, Rep. Murphy said. Our collective goal is to make certain the tax credit program is working the way it is supposed to and truly benefits students who need assistance. A second meeting in early November will focus on the analysis of school tuition organization data and discussion of the benefits of the private school tax credit program. The final meeting will synthesize the work done in the previous two meetings which will lead into discussions about proposed solutions and legislative recommendations for the coming session. Joining Murphy and Chabin on the Committee are Representatives Andy Biggs, Debbie Lesko, and Jack Brown. Based on the outcomes from these three meetings, the Committee will produce a report detailing the findings by December 15, 2009.