Produced and paid for by the state and billed as an analysis of the issues, it will be distributed in newspapers across Utah prior to the Nov. 6 voter referendum on private school vouchers.

Ideally, it would be an impartial, nonpartisan, unbiased document, not one fraught with opinion, speculation and questionable claims. But the topic is school vouchers, a very emotional issue, especially in Utah, which could become the first state to provide tax money for all parents, even rich parents, who choose to send their children to private schools. Plus, the state code requires pro-and-con arguments for voter information pamphlets, so officials didn't even try to play it down the middle. You'll hear from both sides.

The argument for the voucher program was penned by the original voucher bill's sponsors - Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble, R-Provo, and Rep. Steve Urquhart, R-St. George.

They spin it as a social welfare program, designed to make school choice available to all, instead of just the wealthy. But it should be noted that even the maximum voucher, or scholarship, of $3,000 per year won't cover the cost at some private schools. Plus, Utah students are already free to attend publicly-financed charter schools, and can switch schools within their district without paying tuition.

The case against vouchers was made by a pair of opponents - Sen. Jon Greiner, R-Ogden, and Rep. Kory Holdaway, R-Taylorsville, a special education teacher.

They accurately paint public schools as an important socio-economic, religious and cultural melting pot, and they correctly identify the core issue: Should public tax dollars be used to pay for private schools? We think not.

Still, we urge voters to research both sides of the issue, and reach their own conclusions. The information in the voter information pamphlet will help them do that.

But here's one passage from the pro-voucher argument that you'll want to keep in mind: "Most children do well in Utah public schools, but some fall through the cracks."

So, should we build a new system, one that costs hundreds of millions of tax dollars and virtually guarantees inequality in education? Or should we fix a few cracks?