CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. – A creative way to raise revenue for Virginia public schools could hit the streets on the daily commute.
The House Education Committee approved a bill that would allow advertisements on public school buses.
Kendall Moyer is a mother of one who is concerned about the safety of her child at the school bus stop. She says she is not happy about the new legislation that would raise revenue grabbing drivers' attention.
“We have a lot of problems with distracted drivers already and I think by adding advertising that's adding another distraction," said Moyer.
House Bill 809 permit local school boards to display advertising material on the sides of school buses between the rear wheels and rear of the bus.
Montgomery County schools public information officer Brenda Drake agreed that the bill could help fund public schools in our area.
“It gives an opportunity to make some additional revenue and state money has been lackluster. The local ability to help fund schools has also been slower than we hoped,” said Drake. “It has the potential to be another creative idea for revenue.”
The bill was approved 18-2 by the House Education Committee this week. Delegate Schuyler VanVolkenburg, is one of the two who opposed it.
“I think it could make education inequality worse,” said VanValkenburg.“I think symbolically it kind of represents the state saying we are not doing our constitutional duty to properly find schools."