Jewish schools reaping hundreds of millions in US government money

Jewish schools reaping hundreds of millions in US government money http://www.israpundit.com/archives/56150  Each year, when Frank Halper is faced with the state tax bill for his accounting business in Providence, Rhode Island, he has a choice.He can write a check for the amount owed by his company or, as part of a state tax credit program, he can send a check to a foundation that provides tuition scholarships to students at Providence’s two Jewish day schools. His tax bill will be credited for 90 percent of the contribution.For the last five years or so, his firm has opted for the latter.“We’re in favor of supporting these schools,” Halper said. “We feel Jewish education is the future of the Jewish people.Tax credit programs are among the growing number of ways that private Jewish day schools and yeshivot across the US are corralling hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer dollars annually. The money is helping to defray operating costs, provide teacher training, assist students with tuition bills and enhance educational offerings.A decade ago, few Jewish schools were aggressive about pursuing federal and state funding. But as day school tuition rates have climbed, outpacing inflation and the ability of recession-weary parents to pay, schools have become much more effective not only at accessing government money but in lobbying state government for more.“The financial crisis of 2008 had a huge effect on tuition and affordability – I think that was really the game changer,” said Darcy Hirsh, director of day school advocacy at UJAFederation of New York, which in October 2011 became the first federation in the country to create a position for day school advocacy. “Families that were able to afford day school are no longer able, and schools’ financial aid has grown tremendously over the last five years.”The haredi Agudath Israel of America long has taken the lead in lobbying for government aid for Jewish schools.Two years ago it was joined by the Orthodox Union, which began hiring political directors in a half-dozen states to organize Jewish schools and lobby legislatorsWhile[[[[[ media attention has focused on the alleged abuse of government funding programs by Jewish schools,]]]]]]]] suspect allocations represent just a trickle of the government funding flowing to Jewish schools.The methods used by private schools to get government money differ from state to state and range from the complex to the byzantine
[ ed notes:wondering. when its a yeshiva in middle of nowhere united states ,with very few students,if any,(whos looking?)no official oversight ,and millions of dollars flowing into this INDUSTRY,is this a JEWISH racket??