Court: Money to Rel. Schools OK for Tax Breaks; Lets AZ Residents Use $500 in Taxes for Tuition

The Huffington Post website reports today (April 5, 2011) that the US Supreme Court ruled yesterday -- on a close 5 to 4 vote -- that ordinary taxpayers cannot challenge government programs that use tax breaks to direct money to religious activities.

The court, in effect, ruled in favor of an Arizona scholarship program for private schools that has mainly benefited religious schools in offering a dollar-for-dollar reduction in the state income tax bill of people who participate.

The decision cheered supporters of school choice and dismayed civil libertarians, who said it will be harder to use federal courts to claim violations of the Constitution's prohibition of direct government aid to religion.

For more than 13 years, Arizona has allowed residents to send up to $500 to a tuition scholarship organization that they would have otherwise paid the state in taxes on their incomes.