Defenders of the state's Dream Act say voter education will be key to their success in November, when Marylanders weigh-in on a new law that lets some illegal immigrants pay in-state tuition.
"Our goal will be be education about what the Dream Act really does," said Travis Tazelaar, campaign manager for Educating Maryland Kids, the ballot committee defending the law. He estimated that "millions" would be needed to fund a state-wide campaign.
The ballot committee was created in December 2011, and reported $75,000 in donations in April when they last filed financial disclosure forms with the state board of elections. The money came from three $25,000 checks written by the Maryland Service Employee International Union. (Ballot committees in Maryland can accept unlimited campaign donations.)
Tazelaar said the coalition also includes Casa de Maryland, the Maryland State Education Association, the Maryland Catholic Conference, NAACP, the American Federation of Teachers and the AFL-CIO.
The law would allow illegal immigrants to benefit from lower in-state tution at Maryland colleges and universities if they've graduated from Maryland high schools and if their family has filed tax returns during that time. Students would have to attend community college first, but would be eligible to transfer to a university after two years or 60 credits.
"These are kids who are an intragal part of our community," said Kristin Ford, the communications director for the group.
The law passed in 2011, but it never took effect because opponents petitioned it to the 2012 ballot. Del. Neil Parrott, who led the petition effort, said a ballot committee to repeal the law hasn't yet been formed. He plans to do so next month, after wrapping up work on another petition effort.
Parrott said his side, too, will focus on how the law will impact Marylanders. "We are going to be trying to get the facts out," he said.
Maryland Dream Act defenders want to "educate" voters
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Add / View comments | Discussion FAQHow 'bout telling the voters how expensive it is? How bout telling the real truth like md taxpayers pay $1billion a year to educate their kids through grade 12 and now they want us to continue paying to age 80? This isn't a kid thingy.. How 'bout educating the voters on how Casa de crooks are aiding and abetting and breaking the laws and how taxpayers pay 47% of their operating costs to break the laws.. Need more?
Ahhh, the SEIU union full of violent lawless thugs getting into the act. Obama's own Army.
Can't wait to see the LIES coming from this gang! Remember how long it took the BS to print the TRUTH about the parents FILING and not PAYING taxes? T%hat went on for months before they stopped that lie.
SEIU should be fun listening to. Propaganda will be rampant.
I wonder if the supporters will bother to "educate" voters on the bigger picture here. Forget about the law being one more magnet to attract illegals to MD. Once taxpayers have subsidized education for illegals, where will they legally get a job, once they graduate? Oh, that would be the next step. Oblama's already getting there without the beneft of legislation. And DOJ will sue any state that thinks otherwise as has been done in Arizona. Ultimately the kids become eligible to work, eligible for citizenship. Once citizens, they can legally import the rest of the entire extended family, (thanks to that good old legislation from Uncle Teddy Kennedy). Meanwhile, latinos will be attracted to vote to the pandering democrats. They will do so legally, or illegally, with constant pressure from dems NOT to verify eligibility of voters. Florida recently attempted to purge illegals from the voter roles only to have DOJ sue to overturn the policy. The last count I read showed 98 illegals discovered, and ZERO legal voters disenfranchised. So, CASA gets my tax dollars to fight against my interests... thanks dems...
