Pennsylvania Treasurer candidate pledges to “fight” school vouchers
(WHTM) – Erin McClelland, the Pennsylvania Democratic Party’s nominee for Treasurer, says if elected she’ll “fight” against school vouchers all the way to the state’s highest court.
McClelland’s comments came as part of an endorsement announcement from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees on Thursday. McClelland described herself as “aggressively against school vouchers” which many Republicans and Democrat Governor Josh Shapiro have fought for.
“If vouchers are passed, it is the Treasurer that writes the voucher, and I can assure you that if that goes through, we’re going to court and we’re going to fight it on constitutional grounds, and I’ll write the voucher when the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania tells me I have no choice,” said McClelland.
“I think that they are a very bad Band-Aid,” McClelland added when speaking to abc27’s Dennis Owens on Thursday. “That doesn’t solve the greater problem.”
McClelland’s opponent, incumbent Treasurer Stacy Garrity (R) calls school vouchers fantastic for kids stuck in failing schools, adding “This plan doesn’t take a single penny away from our public schools, and it gives parents a real lifeline.”
Garrity’s spokesperson criticized McClelland’s statement, saying “having a Treasurer pick and choose which bills to pay based on personal views would be incredibly reckless and dangerous.”
McClelland insists aggressive vetting before paying is part of the Treasurer’s job.
“My obligation is not to any one party or to any legislation or legislative body. It is ultimately to the taxpayers. And I think their interest has been lost in all of this.”
The issue is sure to be a battle line between the two Treasurer candidates and might be a fault line among Democrats. When asked last month if he could guarantee vouchers were out of the budget process, Shapiro’s Education Secretary Dr. Khalid Mumin said “the word guarantee is tough, I wouldn’t say box myself into a guarantee.”
McClelland, who has worked as a substance use/mental health counselor and policy advisor for the Allegheny County Department of Human Services, defeated the party’s endorsed Treasurer candidate Ryan Bizzarro in April’s primary.
Election Day is November 5, 2024. In Pennsylvania the last day to register to vote is October 21 and the last day to request a mail-in or absentee ballot is October 29.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
