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AEA Battles Tax Credits in Court, at Ballot Box

A lawsuit has been filed to block state education officials from allowing payroll deductions from public school employees to fund the Alabama Education Association.
Alabama Education Association
A lawsuit has been filed to block state education officials from allowing payroll deductions from public school employees to fund the Alabama Education Association.

The state teachers' organization is fighting private school tax credits in court and the architect of the tax credits at the ballot box.

The Alabama Education Association's political action committee filed a campaign finance report showing the largest donation it gave in March was $50,000 to Democratic state Senate candidate Taylor Stewart of Anniston. Stewart is opposing Republican Sen. Del Marsh of Anniston, who was the chief architect of the Alabama Accountability Act.

The act provides state tax credits of $3,500 per child for a parent to cover the cost of moving a child from a failing public school to a private school.

AEA members filed suit over the law shortly after it passed. Montgomery County Circuit Judge Gene Reese has heard arguments from both sides, but has not ruled.

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