Florida Appeals Court Says Challengers Of Tax Credit Scholarships Lack Standing

In McCall v. Scott, (FL App., Aug. 16, 2016), a Florida appeals court held that a group of plaintiffs-- advocacy organizations, teachers, parents and religious and community leaders-- lack standing to challenge the constitutionality of Florida's Tax Credit Scholarship Program.  The court concluded that plaintiffs had not shown either special injury standing or taxpayer standing. It concluded, among other things, that the state constitution's "no-aid" provision (Florida's Blaine Amendment) only limits the legislature's spending authority, and not its authority to grant tax deductions or credits. Pensacola News Journal reports on the decision.