For Immediate Release:
Contact:
Wendy Liberatore, Statewide Communications Coordinator, AQE
wendy@aqeny.org
(518) 432-5315 ext. 102; cell (518) 491-0454
PRESS RELEASE
Parent, Religious, Labor Groups and Education Advocates Fight to Block Gov. Cuomo’s Flawed Tax Break for Wealthy
ALBANY (May, 18, 2015) – Education advocates, religious and labor organizations and parent groups have joined forces to block Gov. Cuomo’s education tax credit proposal that he has deceitfully dubbed Parental Choice in Education Act.
Disguised as a way to provide needy children with a private school education, the act is a tax credit designed to reimburse wealthy donors who want to contribute large sums of money to private schools. Under the act, state taxpayers will reimburse 75 percent of the donor’s contributions. In the first year alone, the act will cost the state $150 million.
The three dozen organizations decry the tax break as one that siphons taxpayer money from public schools and funnels it into the pockets of millionaires and billionaires. As part of the effort to block the act, the groups will launch a social media campaign and will release more information on the tax break in the forthcoming weeks.
The groups have also released a video that underscores how the act will further burden taxpayers and debilitate public schools.
The long list of opponents to the act are: A. Philip Randolph Institute, AFSCME, Advocates for Children of New York, Alliance for Quality Education, Balcony, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, Citizen Action of New York, Citizen Budget Commission, CSEA, DC 37-AFSCME, La Fuente, League of Women Voters of New York State, Long Island Jobs with Justice, Long Island Progressive Coalition, Make the Road, NAACP-New York State Chapter, New York City Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, New York Civil Liberties Union, New York State AFL-CIO, New York State Association of School Business Officials, New York State Federation of School Administrators, New York State Parent Teacher Association, New York State School Boards Association, New York State United Teachers, New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness, Public Employees Federation, Reform Jewish Voice of New York State, Rochester – Finger Lakes Pride @ Work , Rural Schools Association of New York State, School Administrators Association of New York State, Strong Economy for All, The Black Institute, The Council of School Superintendents, United Federation of Teachers, and Working Families Party.
“New York cannot afford another poorly targeted tax break,” said Carol Kellermann, President of the Citizen Budget Commission. “The Education Tax Credit would be a costly subsidy for private education.”
“We are concerned that the proposed education tax credit will allow individuals to divert money from the tax stream and send it to favored schools, scholarships and other programs, including religious programming, with no public oversight,” said Robb Smith, Executive Director of Interfaith Impact of New York State. “This bill is designed to permit wealthy donors to make an end run around the New York constitution, which prohibits taxpayer funding of religious education. In the end, the taxpayers will have to make up for the money that is being diverted. We believe in the wisdom of the separation of church and state. We want to see New York fully fund its public school system, not take even more money away from our schools through this misguided legislation.”
“The Reform Jewish Movement affirms the deep commitment of the Reform Movement to the principle of separation of religion and the state which has safeguarded religious liberty for all in this country,” said Barbara Zaron, co-chair of Reform Jewish Voice of New York State (RJV). “This commitment and an equally deep commitment to public education as the cornerstone of the American democratic process drives us to affirm our opposition to any form of governmental aid to elementary and secondary schools under the supervision or control of any religious denomination. Consistent with this traditional opposition of Reform Judaism, we oppose the proposals to allow tax credits for tuition paid and/or scholarships awarded to students of non-public schools.”
“We have yet to see any proof that the education tax credit would address the fiscal issues that face religious schools,” said Barbara Bartoletti, Legislative Director for the League of Women Voters in New York State. “Public schools students should not have to pay the price. We cannot drain public dollars to benefit privately operated schools.”
“Our public schools are called upon to fulfill our state constitution’s promise of a sound basic education for all children, whatever their circumstances, wherever they come from, whenever they arrive,”said Robert Reidy, Executive Director of the New York State Council of School Superintendents. “State government’s first obligation needs to be to honor its promises to public schools, by ending the Gap Elimination Adjustment and rebuilding the Foundation Aid formula – not to launch an expansive new commitment to private schools serving only some students.”
“Providing wealthy campaign contributors tax breaks while public school students are deprived of education resources is outrageous,” said Karen Scharff, Executive Director of Citizen Action of New York. “This plan is nothing but another million-dollar giveaway of public money to super wealthy donors who fund political campaigns.”
“The Governor’s new Parental Choice in Education Act is a veiled attempt to give away our tax dollars to his campaign donors,” said Jasmine Gripper, Legislative Coordinator for the Alliance for Quality Education. “Why should New Yorkers pay for wealthy donors contributions to private schools? This is a multi-million dollar expense for the state and will divert more money away from already struggling public schools. School funding policies should not be made on the whim to a handful of wealthy individuals and corporations. Instead of prioritizing his campaign donors, the Governor should be focused on supporting our public schools, which serve all kids.”
“The private school tax credit scheme Governor Cuomo is pushing is really just more Albany business as usual: the seven billionaires behind the ‘Educational Fund’ gave $4.6 million dollars in campaign cash to get themselves a big tax break,” said Michael Kink, Executive Director of Strong Economy for All Coalition. “Their ‘educational fund’ seems to have done more educating of influential politicians — particularly Dean Skelos and the Senate Republicans — than of students.
“New York needs to drop the reverse Robin Hood shenanigans and stop trying to fund private and religious schools at the expense of public schools,” said New York Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Donna Lieberman. “Education is the foundation for future success for both New York’s children and the state’s financial well-being. Transferring public money to private schools undermines both. It also violates the foundational principle that bars the government from endorsing religion.”
“People make a conscious decision to pay for a private school education instead of using public schools, just like they make a decision to use a private golf course over a public one, or a private beach club over a public swimming pool, are we to subsidize every person’s decision to use a private facility over a public one, where would it end,” said Michael Borges, Executive Director of the New York State Association of School Business Officials.
“Despite its new name, the governor’s education tax credit scheme is essentially a voucher program designed to reward the hedge fund billionaires who contribute to his campaign,” said New York State United Teachers President Karen E. Magee. “The fact is, the governor’s misguided plan would only aggravate the challenges that confront our poorest districts by siphoning critical funding away from students and schools that are most in need.”
“The state’s priority should not be giving tax breaks to the wealthy, but rather investing in its public schools to ensure all students have the resources needed to succeed,” said New York State United Teachers Executive Vice President Andrew Pallotta. “Given that one-third of our school districts in 2015-2016 will be operating with less aid than six years ago, our focus must be on adequately funding public education — not rewarding wealthy campaign contributors at the expense of children in need.”
“This tax credit is just another scheme to reward billionaires. It gives them the power to send money to their favorite private schools, and takes a big chunk out of their tax bill,” said Michael Mulgrew, President of the United Federation of Teachers. “At the same time, it drains money from public schools. Supporters can use all the smoke and mirrors that they want, but in the end this is scam that will hurt public school students.”
“New York’s first obligation is to use tax dollars to adequately fund public education. Yet, there are great disparities in school district financial resources throughout the state. Lawmakers must remedy that situation before they provide tax incentives that would benefit non-public schools,” said Timothy G. Kremer, Executive director of the New York State School Boards Association.
“For New York State to consider diverting available funds away from public education while it has a law that unconstitutionally withholds funds from school districts is unconscionable,”said David A. Little, Executive Director of the Rural Schools Association of New York State. “If that the state cannot afford its public educational system, it certainly can’t afford a second one.”
“Our first priority must be to fully fund our public schools,” New York State AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento said. “We need a financial commitment to provide our public education system with the necessary resources needed to ensure all children get the educational opportunities they deserve. An investment in our public schools is an investment in our future.”
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Believe me this scheme will not result in anything good for the citizens of New York but will end up being another windfall for the rich and famous. Why do the people of NY keep this guy and others like him in office????
There wasn’t much competition last Ovember, and he finessed Zephyr Teachout out of the November election. She was his only true competition.
That said, he lost a majority of counties to his Republic challenger. He won only in the cities, and NYC had the biggest number of votes.
Yeah, it sucks.
Reformers are looters, plain and simple.
This a shameful misuse of funds at a time when public schools are operating on a bare bones budget.
People in NY, just like in many other states in the union, do not vote in off year elections.
Of course another problem is that people are ignorant.Too many adults vote along party lines, if they vote at all, and corporate money gets to decide who will run for office in both parties anyway.
I am hoping that the day that Cuomo is taken out of office in handcuffs is closer at hand.
He has sold himself and now uses the office of the governor to “repay the debt” to the millionaires and billionaires.
True evil usually disguises itself to pick and choose how to take advantage of good citizens. Cuomo has sunk lower…everything he does is for the benefit of his taskmasters, which throw him their financial crumbs.
He is nothing less than a harlot…who has, and continues to prostitute himself and the office of the Governor of New York.
And he has reached the point where he will do “anything and everything” his bosses ask for.
It is amazing he can get out of bed in the morning…a being living what would be a shameful and disgraceful life for most, but for Cuomo, a “normal” life. He is a danger to New York and her good citizens…
And he must be stopped…immediately.
Yes to everything you’ve said.
But beware: Cuomo is clever at fooling the (historically and willfully?) ignorant public and using wealthy donor’s money to put out misleading and trickster ad campaigns that will make people feel like they will not be taxed to death when in fact, they will be screwed over by more pro-plutocratic, anti working class policies.
Can Cuomo be THIS dysfunctional and crazy? THIS much of a narcissist? THIS angry at everyone but himself?
What a deranged and sad individual. His visage and countenance even sop and drip with anger. I would not be surprised if he has, over the years, contributed to his girlfriend’s stress level. That is a pure theory, but does begin to connect the dots about who he is and his whole pathos and psychological profile.
He is a bully and abusive to the public. I can imagine how much havoc he can wreak on one person and to the few who are closer to him.
The governor of Illinois was arrested.
Much is so improbable, and nothing is impossible . . . .
Start looking for impeachable offenses that will stick, folks, and follow through.
Here are some lists of corporations participating in the Florida Tax Credit program. This organization handles both Florida and Alabama.
(page 2) http://www.stepupforstudents.org/docs/default-source/newsletters/newsletter_web_summerfall2014.pdf?sfvrsn=0
https://www.stepupforstudents.org/income-based-scholarship/for-donors/participating-donors
https://www.stepupforstudents.org/docs/default-source/financial-reports/form-990-public-disclosure-copy.pdf?sfvrsn=4
So can corporations now pick and choose the public goods and services they support?
Private schools but not public schools? Senior centers but not drug rehabs?
What a wonderful idea this is- relinquishing public policy priorities to corporations. This will end well
I’m sure they’ll do a good job deciding what public goods and services the public deserves and needs.
Why do we need elected officials at all? To transfer money to contractors? An accountant can do that. Probably better and cleaner, actually.
We have them in AZ too.The money is laundered through an STO (Student Tuition Organization) which takes 10% as a fee. One of our state legislators owns an STO. How’s that for conflict of interest?
Cross posted with commentary at
http://www.opednews.com/Quicklink/Education-Advocates-Unite-in-Best_Web_OpEds-Diane-Ravitch_Education_Media_Money-150518-431.html#comment545552
This is a startling overreach.
The Governor is not acting as a democratically elected leader who collects taxes for the common good.
Governor Cuomo is acting as a professional shopper for the wealthy, helping them to buy some nice schools, which will make them feel good about themselves.
What is worse is the advertising campaign that misleads voters into thinking this is something it is not. It should be fought on its own terms. “Voters, do you want to take money FROM your neighborhood public school and give it to religious schools that can teach creationism or that women should be subservient to men? If so, support Andrew Cuomo’s new bill, which wants to do just that! Your public school has plenty of money, so why not take some of it to give to those religious schools? Vote for this bill that Cuomo supports!”
Vouchers were a big bust in Ohio. Last I looked the voucher caucus were blaming public schools for not marketing private schools effectively.
After 17 years they still can’t convince the people of Ohio that we hate public schools.
Public schools are remarkably resilient. People value them, even if The Best and Brightest would just as soon pitch them in the trash.
Maybe you’ll be surprised. I think THEY were surprised we all didn’t flee the schools we were “trapped” in 🙂
Agreed!!!
Bad news for public education supporters, but she’ll fit right in in DC:
“Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton received nearly a quarter of a million dollars last year for a speaking engagement on behalf of Academic Partnerships, a for-profit education company in which Jeb Bush held an ownership stake and on whose board he served.
Clinton’s newly filed personal financial disclosure shows that she was paid $225,500 on March 24, 2014 by Academic Partnerships. At the invitation-only event in Dallas, Texas, Clinton reportedly said, “today a student doesn’t need to travel to Cambridge, Mass., or Cambridge, England, to get a world-class education.”
Cha-ching. Everyone is profiting off education except the citizenry. Complete and utter capture.
https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/05/18/hillary-clinton-paid-jeb-bushs-education-company/
Faster than a speeding electron! More powerful than a Bill Gates TED talk! Able to teach all students in a single click!
Look, up in the cy(berspace)! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Super-program!
Yes, it’s Super-program, strange invader from yet another corporation, who came to US with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal teachers. Super-program, who can change the course offerings for gritless kids, bend minds out of poverty using his bare wires, and who fights a never-ending battle for college and career readiness, and the American way.
Tax Dodge = Loss of $150 million from Treasury.
Also, NY’ers might want to read this. on the history of vouchers and charters in Ohio.
Vouchers were a bust so they used the same argument to vastly expand charter schools.
I bet once vouchers are in charters will multiply dramatically, because (unfortunately) everything Mr. Cuomo is doing has been done in Ohio. It’s not “innovative” at all.
“That same year Ohio Governor George Voinovich, a former Cleveland mayor, created a Commission of Educational Choice and put businessman David Brennan in charge. They created a pilot voucher program just for Cleveland, whose schools were famously bad. ”
Brennan want on to create a for profit charter company and the rest is history, which ended up with Ohio having the worst charter scheme in the country. Beware, and read what’s happened in other states.
These aren’t the most creative people in the world- Cuomo’s NY plan is vintage 1993 Cleveland. You’ll be able to figure out what they’re up to next.
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ohio/2015/05/06/how-ohio-school-choice-moved-from-vouchers-to-charters/
Only 3 1/2 more years for Cuomo. You voted him in, deal with it!
I have been doing some thinking about private schools lately. It isn’t that the teachers are any better than those in public schools. It is the atmosphere and peers that make a difference. If you are surrounded by hard-working, and ambitious peers (and smaller classes), then you become that. It’s the peers around you that make all the difference. When you learn to speak, you develop the dialect of your peers (not your parents). Sending your kids to a good private school is “in essence” choosing their peers for them, probably the most powerful thing a parent can do for his or her children.
If peers are the deciding factor in academic success, then private schools win hands down. If you can’t afford private, then you can always homeschool or move to a more sensible country. It is better to be poor in Europe, or Canada. They won’t send you back. You can live with all those boat people, but your kids can go to good schools.
Steve, there is a peer effect. Private schools can screen out kids from the other side of the tracks. Even with vouchers, they don’t have to take the kids they don’t want. Public education takes everyone.
Every time the Democrats hit me up for more money, I just keep writing back: NO, NOT UNTIL YOU GET RID OF CUOMO. NOT UNTIL YOU SHOW SOME RESPECT TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Maybe if the money and the votes start to dry up they’ll throw Cuomo overboard? Sorry to sound like a broken record on this idea but it seems to be one of the more concrete things I can do. On the back of one of the recent envelopes I sent back to the Demo-corporate Party, I even added a message to any postal union members who might see it, too.
A group of about 20 of us teachers were out with signs last Friday after school on the main street in one of our small upstate New York towns. We got a fantastic response from passersby. It was really a shot in the arm. We had signs with messages like “stop the over testing” and things like that. One poster had an evil-looking Cuomo pictured on it. Boy, those elementary school teachers can put together nice looking protest signs. Car after car went by honking horns, giving us the thumbs up etc…. I don’t know but if I was running the Democratic Party I’d be really worried.
To paraphrase LBJ’s supposed comment from the ’60s: ‘If they’ve lost the teachers, they’ve lost middle America.’
Houston, we have a problem (in NY):
The ads for Ed Tax Credits from @InvestInEdNY are coming hot and heavy, along with easy to fill out appeals to State assembly members to pass the state bill.
Example of misleading post:
“Raise your hand if you want to support schools without raising taxes. Take action: http://goo.gl/dwgn1v”
They always refer to “schools,” and “students” so that one assumes public schools and students.
I am worried. These people have a massive campaign for even those outside of their support groups.
They are targeting ordinary people, using tactics to mislead them into registering support with their state legislators for the Cuomo bill.
Misleading language usually succeeds as the referendum writers in CA have found.