To the 2014 Florida Legislature:
Expand Equal Opportunity:
Vote for more
tax credit scholarships
F
lorida created the Tax Credit Scholarship for our
neediest schoolchildren 12 years ago, and the results are
enormously inspiring. These students live barely above
poverty, two-thirds of them are black or Hispanic, more
than half live with only one parent, and they were collectively
among the lowest achievers in their previous schools. But six years
of test data show us they are now making genuine academic gains.
The only problem is that Florida keeps closing the door. The
scholarship serves 59,674 students in 1,414 private schools this
Signed by:
year, but roughly 30,000 others could not get in. And there is no
reason to shut them out, since these scholarships actually save
tax money that can help all public schools.
As an alliance of faith leaders from all across Florida,
we believe these schoolchildren need not just prayer but
opportunity. The Tax Credit Scholarship is working in their
lives, and we implore our state legislators to expand this equal
educational opportunity.
Please vote for SB 1620 and PCB FTSC 14-02.
NORTH FLORIDA: Pastor Herbert Bartley, River of Life Ministries, Jacksonville; Rev. Willie A. Battles, Unity Temple of Deliverance, Jacksonville; Pastor Melvin Bell, St. Paul A.M.E Church,
Tallahassee; Albert Bivens Jr., Greater New Bethel A.M.E Church, Live Oak; Dr. Pat Bronsard, Diocese of St. Augustine, St. Augustine; Pastor Priscilla P. Brown, Mt. Pisgah A.M.E Church,
Freeport; Rev. Robert Brown, Builders of the Faith, Jacksonville; Pastor Matthew Bryant, St John A.M.E Church, Quincy; Mary Camp, Florida Catholic Conference, Tallahassee; Fr. John
Cayer, Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More, Tallahassee; Pastor James S. Cleare, Bethel A.M.E Church, Bellville; Pastor Leroy Colston, New St. John A.M.E Church, Tallahassee; Pastor Herbert
Corbin, Good Hope A.M.E Church, Warrington; Elder James H. Davis, Pensacola Marianna District A.M.E Church, Pensacola; Bishop Felipe J Estevez, Diocese of St. Augustine, St. Augustine; Rev. Ernest Ferrell, Urban League Tallahassee, Tallahassee; Pastor Ernest Folston Jr., Kingdom Christian Fellowship, Jacksonville; Rev. Allesia S. Ford-Burse, St. James A.M.E Church,
Orange Park; Rev. James Graham Sr., Gregg Temple A.M.E Church, Jacksonville; Rev. Willie E. Hagan, A.M.E Church, Qunicy; Rev. Steven R. Hall, Spirit Truth, Jacksonville; Elder Tony
DeMarco Hansberry, A.M.E Church - Eleventh District, Jacksonville; Andy Hindman, Be the Light Ministries, Tallahassee; James Herzog, Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops, Tallahassee; Pastor Carl L. Hill, Pope Chapel A.M.E Church, Marianna; James F. Holley, Bethel A.M.E Church, Pensacola; Judith E Hollinhead, Bethel A.M.E Church, Pensacola; Pastor R.B. Homes,
Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, Tallahassee; Pastor James L. Houston, Bethel A.M.E Church, Lake City; Rev. Valarie J. Houston, Allen Chapel A.M.E Church, Sanford; Pastor Abraham O.
Johnson, Mt. Shiloh A.M.E Church, Bascom; Rev. W. Damone Johnson, Historic St. James A.M.E Church, Sanford; Pastor Michael G. Johnson, Springfield A.M.E Church, Gretna; Rev. Helen
Johnson-Robinson, Bethel A.M.E. Church, Monticello; Pastor Charles M. Jones Jr., Collins Chapel A.M.E Church, Baldwin; Rev. Sandra Jones, Grant Tabernacle, Chipley; Pastor Audrey
Key, Thy Will Ministries, Jacksonville; Pastor Frank Key, Thy Will Ministries, Jacksonville; Pastor Cedric Lauchner, Everlasting Life Church Fellowship, Jacksonville; Pastor Lee E. Plummer,
St James A.M.E Church, Quincy; Pastor Johnny Legons, Beverly Hills Church of God, Jacksonville; Sister Veronica Marinari, ASCJ, John Paul II Catholic High School, Tallahassee; Miriam
Marlow, Flipper Chapel A.M.E Church, Tallahassee; Rev. Dr. Lenny Marshall, Friendship A.M.E Church Tallahassee, Tallahassee; Sister Maureen Martin, John Paul II Catholic High School,
Tallahassee; Sister Colleen Mattingly, John Paul II Catholic High School, Tallahassee; Senior Minister Julius H. McAllister, Bethel A.M.E Church, Tallahassee; Pastor James McDaniel,
Allen Chapel A.M.E Church, High Springs; Pastor Aundra McGlockton Sr., Jerusalem A.M.E Church, Marianna; Bishop Vaughn McLaughlin, The Potter’s House International Ministries,
Jacksonville; Rev. Tom McLeod, A.M.E Church, Jacksonville; Pastor Johnnie Merrick, New Bethlehem A.M.E Church, McAlpin; Rev. Ronald Dale Mizer, St. James A.M.E Church, Marianna;
Pastor Michael Mitchell, St. Stephen A.M.E Church, Jacksonville; Terry A. Mobley, Bethel A.M.E Church, Pensacola; Robert Monroe, Flipper Chapel A.M.E Church, Tallahassee; Rev. Tan.
C. Moss, Greater Grant Memorial A.M.E Church, Jacksonville; Imam Rabbani Muhammad, Masjid-AL-Nahl, Tallahassee; Rev. Mary D. Myrick, A.M.E Church, Marianna; Lady Narlene, The
Potter’s House International Ministries, Jacksonville; Bishop Gregory L. Parks, Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Pensacola; Rev. William Calvin Pierce, Sylvania A.M.E Church, Vernon; Rev.
Sha’Reff Rashad, New Mount Moriah A.M.E Church, Jacksonville; Bishop Adam J. Richardson, A.M.E Church - Eleventh District, Jacksonville; Pastor Clifton Riley, Bethel A.M.E Church,
Pensacola; Pastor Phillip Russ, IV., Hurst Chapel A.M.E Church, Pensacola; Rev. Willis Saunders, Mount Sinai A.M.E Church, Tallahassee; Sister Cynthia Shadder, SND., Holy Rosary/St. Pius
Jacksonville, Jacksonville; Minister Ola S.L. Sheffield, St. John M.B. Church, Capitola; Rev. Ronald Shider, TPHIM North Campus, Jacksonville; Pastor Claretta Smith, New Bethel A.M.E
Church, Bonifay; Rev. Johnny Stallworth, Mt. Pleasant A.M.E Church, Pensacola; Rev. Robert E. Streater, III, Family Endeavors; Pastor Freddie Tellis, Allen Chapel A.M.E Church, Pensacola;
Minister Andrew E. Toms, Bethel A.M.E Church, Pensacola; Pastor Ken Vensel, CRU Ministries, Jacksonville; Kevin B. Vickery, Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Pensacola; Rev. Steve Wildman, Real Life Christian Fellowship, Jacksonville; Rev. Al Williams, One Church One Child of Florida, Tallahassee; Rev. Al Williams, II, Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, Tallahassee; Pastor
Bernadette Renee Williams, Household of Faith, Jacksonville; Pastor Lewis Williams, Household of Faith, Jacksonville.
CENTRAL FLORIDA: Rev. Troy A. Adams, Sr., New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church, St. Petersburg; Julia Alvarez, Iglesia Casa del Alfarero, Orlando; Rochester A. Alvarez, Iglesia
Casa DE Alfarero, Orlando; Rev. Dr. Ida Stephens Andrews, New Bethel A.M.E Church , Orlando; Rev. Edward J. Barthell, St. Stephen A.M.E Church, Bradenton; Pastor Kirk Bogen, New
Bethel A.M.E Church, Orlando; Rev. Ricardo Bright, New Bethel A.M.E Church, Spring Glen; Pastor Gene Brown, Mt. Tabor A.M.E Church, Altamonte Springs; Rev. La’Fiesta Cox Brown,
A.M.E Church, Bushnell; Jesse L. Burns, A.M.E Church, Ocala; Pastor Omega Collier, Mt. Olive A.M.E Church, Mt Dora; Minister Thomas M. Connelly. Jr., Mt. Zion A.M.E Church, Dade City;
RE. Michael Conway, SDB, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, St. Petersburg; Jeffrey Copeland, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, St. Petersburg; Pastor Mark E. Crutcher, Mt.
Olive A.M.E Church, Orlando; Rev. Ollie Demps, Trinity A.M.E Church, Orlando; Bishop Frank J. Dewane, Diocese of Venice, Venice; Rev. Ruth Diehl, A.M.E Church, Lachoochee; Fr. Dermot
Dunne, St. Cecelia Catholic Church, Clearwater; Rev. Philip J. Egitto, Lourdes Academy/Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Daytona Beach; Pastor Justin Felton, The Sanctuary Church,
Orlando; Pastor David Ferguson, First A.M.E Church, Orlando; Pastor Gregory Gay, Mt. Olive A.M.E Church, Tampa; Rev. Robert Gibbons, St. Paul Catholic Church, St. Petersburg; Rev.
John C. Giel, V.G., St. Paul Catholic Church/ Diocese of Orlando, Orlando; Rev. Van Green, St. Mark A.M.E Church, St. Petersburg; Pastor Gregory Harris, Greater St. Joseph A.M.E Church,
Sparr; Rev. Willie Hayes, Sr., New Mt. Zion A.M.E Church, Wauchula; Pastor Clark Hazley, Sr., Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church, St. Petersburg; Dr. Ellis R. Hodge, Word of Life
Fellowship Church, St. Petersburg; Rev. Christopher A. Hoffman, Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church, Port Orange; Pastor Craig Holloway, Triumphant Church Fellowship, Tampa; Pastor
Charles R. Jackson, New Bethel A.M.E Church, Orlando; Evone Jackson, Mount Olive A.M.E Church, Clearwater; Rev. Frank C. James, Bethel A.M.E Church, Trenton; Pastor Alfred Johnson, Church of Preparation, Tampa; Pastor Reginald Johnson, Historic New Bethel A.M.E Church, Ormond Beach; Rev. J. Samuel Johnson, St. Paul A.M.E Church, Lake Alfred; Rev. Travis R.
Kendrick, Sr., Macedonia A.M.E Church, Oak Hill; Pastor Eddie Lake, New Bethel A.M.E Church, Lakeland; Elder Hartford Lee, Dayton Beach District A.M.E Church, Daytona Beach; Elder F.
Bernard Lemon, A.M.E Church, Lakeland; Rev. Curtis S. Long, New Faith Free Methodist Church, St. Petersburg; Pastor Melvin Lyals, St James A.M.E Church, Inverness; Bishop Robert N.
Lynch, St. Petersburg; Frank Massey, St. Paul A.M.E Church, Winter Garden; Dr. Alberto Vazquez Matos, Diocese of St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg; Pastor Larry Mills, Mount Sinai Missionary Baptist Church, Orlando; Rev. Joseph A. Musco, Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, Tampa; Pastor Louis M. Murphy, Sr., Mt. Zion Progressive Missionary Baptist Church, St. Petersburg; Bishop John Noonan, Diocese of Orlando, Orlando; Jose Pacheco, Potters House Academy, Orlando; Rev. Leonard J.M. Plazewski, Christ The King Catholic Church, Tampa; Rev.
Richy Polk, Greater Mt. Carmel A.M.E Church, Tampa; Elder Pastor Kelvin Price, Payne Chapel A.M.E Church, Sarasota; Pastor Patrick Rebel, St. Matthew Catholic Church, Largo; Imam
Wilmore Minkah Sadiki, St. Petersburg Islamic Center, St. Petersburg; Sister Dorothy Sayers, Holy Family Catholic School, Orlando; Rabbi Yehuda Schepansky, Orlando Torah, Orlando;
Pastor Terrance Shaw, Mount Cavalry Deliverance Church, Tampa; Rev. Karen J. Sims, New St. Paul A.M.E Church, Tampa; Pastor Simms, St Andrews A.M.E Church, Palmetto; Rev. Willie
Bell Smith, Bethel A.M.E Church, Kissimmee; Father John Tapp, Holy Family Church, St. Petersburg; Arnold A. Porter, New Bethel A.M.E Church, Altamonte Springs; Rev. Casabell Taylor,
Greene Chapel A.M.E Church, Largo; Rabbi Michael Torop, Temple Beth-El, Largo; Rev. Charles Viviano, Resurrection Catholic Church & School, Lakeland; Rabbi Avrohom Wachsman,
Orlando Torah, Orlando; Pastor Robert Ward, Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, St. Petersburg; Rev. James Watkins, Greater St. Paul A.M.E Church, Orlando; Pastor Clarence A. Williams, Greater
Mount Zion A.M.E Church, St. Petersburg; Rev. James O. Williams, Sr., The Orlando District of A.M.E Church, Orlando; Pastor Lance S. Williams, St. Lawrence A.M.E Church, Eatonville; Rev.
Ronald E. Williams, Sr., Saint Luke A.M.E Church, Tampa; Rev. Regina L. Womack, A.M.E Church, Anthony; Rev. Dallasteen J. Yates, New Bethel A.M.E Church, Vero Beach.
SOUTH FLORIDA: Rabbi Elchonon Abramcyk, Shaarei Bina, Hollywood; Pastor Nathan Austin, Mount Zion Baptist Church, Pompano Beach, Bishop Gerald M Barbarito, Diocese of
Palm Beach, Palm Beach; Rabbi Kalman Baumann, Toras Emes Academy, North Miami Beach; Rabbi Shaya Baumann, Torah Academy, Boca Raton; Rabbi Hershel Becker, Young Israel of
Kendall, Kendall; Rabbi Yeruchom Bensinger, Torah Veemunah, North Miami Beach; Rabbi Yaakov Blejer, NMB Kollel, North Miami Beach; Elder Milton Broomfield, A.M.E Church, Miami;
Rev. Fermin I. Castanedas, Miami Rivers of Life, Miami; Pastor Marvin Charles, Trinity A.M.E Church of Miami, Miami; Pastor Mark Coats, Grace of God Baptist Church, Coral Springs; Bishop Victor Curry, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, Miami; Rev. Dr. Waymon T. Dixon, A.M.E Church/Greater New Mt. Zion, Homestead; Rev. George Ellis, Miami Rivers of Life, Miami;
Sr. Michelle Fernandez, St. Mary Cathedral School, Miami; Sr. Stephanie Flynn, St. James Catholic School, Miami; Rev. Linda Freeman, Trinity Church, Miami; Rabbi Chaim Friedman, Ohr
Chaim, Miami Beach; Rabbi Yosef Galimidi, Safra Synagogue, Aventura; Gary Gelo, Diocese of Palm Beach, Palm Beach; Rev. Dr. James R. Gibbs, Jr., A.M.E Church, Fort Myers; Pastor
Clarence E. Glover, Mount Bethel Baptist, Fort Lauderdale; Rabbi Efrem Goldberg, Boca Raton Synagogue, Boca Raton; Rabbi Moshe Gruenstein, Young Israel of Surfside, Surfside;
Minister Isha Haley, Heaven on Man’s Earth Ministries, Miami; Rev. Kathleen Hardcastle, Trinity Church, Miami; Pastor Greg Harris, Little Rock Baptist Church, Miami; Elder Jessie Harvin
Jr., A.M.E Church, Miami; Rev. Clayton Leon Hodge, Sr., Greater St. Paul A.M.E Church, Coconut Grove; Pastor Melvin E. Hymes, St. Paul A.M.E Church, Fort Pierce; Pastor Robert Jackson
III, St Paul A.M.E Church, Pembroke Pines; Dr. Allan Jacob, Jewish Leadership Coalition, Miami; Rabbi Yisroel Janowski, Yeshiva Elementary, Miami Beach; Rev. Conrad Jenkins, Greater
Mt. Zion A.M.E Church, West Hollywood; Minister Seletha Keys, In Him We Trust, Miramar; Rabbi Gavriel Koskas, Magen David, Surfside; Pastor Cecil Lamb, Spirit of Christ Church, Miami;
Pastor Bernard Lane, Bethel A.M.E Church, Key West; Rabbi Efraim Leizerson, Beth Jacob Miami, North Miami Beach; Rabbi Dovid Lerhfield, Young Israel of Greater Miami, North Miami
Beach; Rabbi Avishay Levy, Netive Ezra, Highland Lakes; Rev. Christopher Marino, VF, The Cathedral of St. Mary, Miami; Rabbi Moshe Matz, Agudath Israel of Florida, Miami; Rev. Clifford
H. McKinney Sr., Hurst Chapel A.M.E Church, Perrine; Pastor Geraldine Miller, Greater Bethel A.M.E Church, Deerfield Beach; Pastor Isaac F. Mitchell II, A.M.E. Church, Hope Sound;
Brother Lyle Muhammad, Nation of Islam; Sr. Ellen Murphy, St, Joan of Arc Catholic School, Boca Raton; Rev. Charles. E. Nostabartolo, St. Jude Catholic Church, Tequest; Rabbi Mordechai Palgon, Yeshiva Toras Chaim, North Miami Beach; Pastor Melvin Payne, Adams Tabernacle of Faith, Miramar; Pastor Ross Pierre, New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, Miami; Rabbi
Eliyahu Rabovsky, Young Israel of Boca Raton, Boca Raton; Pastor Mildred Roscoe, Salter Chapel A.M.E Church, Miami; Rabbi Ephraim Shapiro, Shaaray Tefilla, North Miami Beach; Rev.
Lori Snell, Allen Chapel A.M.E Church, Immokalee; Sr. Josephine Sullivan, St. Joan of Arc Catholic School, Boca Raton; Sr. Kathleen Sweeny, St. Joan of Arc Catholic School, Boca Raton;
Pastor Anthony Tate, New Resurrection Community Church, Miami; Bishop John Taylor, New Beginning Embassy of Praise, Opa-Locka; Dr. Terry Thomas, Word of Truth, West Park; Pastor
Gregory Thompson, New Harvest Missionary Baptist Church, Miami; Rev. Troy K. Venning, Allen Chapel A.M.E Church, Key Largo; Rabbi Pinchos Weberman, Ohev Shalom Congregation,
Miami Beach; Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski, Roman Catholic Church, Miami; Pastor Richard Wilkerson, Trinity Church, Miami; Rabbi Yitzi Zweig, Talmudic University, Miami Beach.
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