Even with new governor, no sign private-school grants to end

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — North Carolina’s new Democratic governor is opposed to using taxpayer dollars for children to attend K-12 private or religious schools, but there’s no sign that initiative created by Republican lawmakers is going away.

Gov. Roy Cooper told The Associated Press recently he will have no funding for what he calls vouchers in his state budget proposal.

He spent the gubernatorial campaign criticizing GOP Gov. Pat McCrory and Republican lawmakers for creating the initiative. But the GOP still holds veto-proof majorities and already agreed to increase funding for the Opportunity Scholarship program through the next decade.

A divided state Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the grant program in 2015.

It will be difficult to upset a landmark decision even though a Democratic majority began on the court this month.