Glenn Youngkin criticizes Democratic governors over education tax credit

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has criticized several Democratic governors for refusing to adopt the Education Freedom Tax Credit. Youngkin named Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro as leaders who are blocking access to educational opportunities for millions of students.

The Education Freedom Tax Credit allows parents to donate up to $1,700 to scholarship-granting organizations in exchange for a matching federal tax credit. These funds are intended for K-12 scholarships covering tutoring, online classes, private school tuition, transportation, and services for students with disabilities. While Youngkin noted that 30 states have opted into the program, he argued that 20 governors are preventing over 20 million children from accessing these resources.

Youngkin highlighted that Virginia was the first state to opt in. He also noted that while New York Governor Kathy Hochul has expressed intent to opt in, her lack of binding action has left 2.7 million students waiting.