Instead of skulking around the halls of the Texas Legislature trying to influence legislators (still looking forward to seeing that camera footage!), Leininger has decided he will directly try to influence the legislators and shmooze the public into coughing up their taxdollars for private schools.

For years, ardent critics in the Legislature and public school advocates have stymied Leininger's efforts. They've argued that vouchers would drain money from public schools and that taxpayer dollars shouldn't go to schools not accountable to the state.

This time, Leininger is answering his critics by offering a proposed compromise to allow public schools to keep a percentage of the money they'd otherwise lose when eligible students transfer. It would only apply to low-income students who meet certain qualifications.

A Leininger spokesman says at least ten percent of the state spending per student -- about seven-thousand dollars -- would stay with the public school.

How about NONE. How about if someone wants to pay for a private school, he or she does it with his or her OWN MONEY and not with tax dollars? And, hey, this stinks like a variation on the *pilot* voucher program that was so soundly defeated a couple of years ago, that is, using low-income students as a way to trojan horse vouchers into the school system.