Every time I get a property tax bill, I’m shocked to see how much of our taxes are used to fund public education. These, of course, do not include the “education lottery”*, bonds, and other ways that our schools are funded. This is particularly galling considering the quality of the education and the amount of indoctrination that is being done. However, as is true with many things involving the government, it is actually quite a bit worse than most of us would have imagined. The Cato Institute has just finished a study on the actual cost per student in various school districts across the country. The exemplary school system in Washington, D.C., as an example, spends approximately $28,000 per student per year.
Here’s a link to a short video about their research. There’s a hyperlink in the video to the entire written report. This will give you a little something to think about the next time you see a politician on TV bemoaning the fact that kids are having bake sales and car washes to help pay for books.
With all of their experience in keeping education costs down, there’s no reason to think our public servants won’ t be able to do the same for health care.
*Does any one else find the premise of a lottery to pay for education strange? It would seem that as the kids become more educated less people will be playing the lottery. If lottery receipts go down (knowing that the state is already in the liquor and gambling business) I suppose they will just start a numbers racket and a brothel? “But it’s for the children!” Indeed.
Sapphire Sky 