Todd Kaminsky, a Democratic Assemblyman from Long Island, stated his unequivocal opposition to Governor Cuomo’s tax credit proposal–a thinly veiled voucher that will benefit children who attend religious schools. However, the election is over, and now Assemblymember Kaminsky thinks that vouchers are a swell idea.
Maybe he thought that local parents are so busy fighting high-stakes testing that they wouldn’t notice that he wants to take money from their schools and send it to yeshivas, parochial schools, and madrasahs.
During the campaign, he was a vocal opponent of vouchers and received the endorsement of the teachers’ union. He said:
““It’s something that’s not going to happen,” Kaminsky said at the time. “Last year, it did not come up for a vote in the Assembly. I don’t know if it will again, but I can tell you it’s not something I favor.”
Now the election is over and the fickle Mr. Kaminsky says, “there’s a difference between campaigning and governing….”
“Nassau County’s Five Towns area, which Kaminsky represents, has a strong and growing Orthodox Jewish community. During our conversation, the assemblyman noted the tendency of Orthodox families to have many children, which puts a strain on their education budgets.”

I grew up in that area and it’s a shame what it has turned into. I am glad I don’t live there any more. It is disturbing when your leaders lie about there stance on issues just to get elected but unfortunately, it is very common especially down state. I think this post is something to pay attention too. It might become more common. Thank you Diane for keeping us informed. That area has changed drastically in the last thirty years and not for the better. The school system in Lawrence has been destroyed which is why we moved. It was a set of circumstances that rolled into that area that was difficult to prevent.
LikeLike
Maybe Kaminsky should read Article XI, Section 3 of the NY constitution. — Edd Doerr (arlinc.org)
LikeLike
99% of Politicians don’t know the diffrence between the truth and a lie. They LIE all the time for their own benefit.
LikeLike
I agree!! There are no winners!! We all lose.
LikeLike
“Americans are still among the most religious people in the world. Yet the government plays almost no role in promoting, endorsing or funding religious institutions or religious beliefs. Free from government control — and without government assistance — religious values, literature, traditions and holidays permeate the lives of our citizens and, in their diverse ways, form an integral part of our national culture. By maintaining the wall separating church and state, we can guarantee the continued vitality of religion in American life.”
Excerpt from Statement on the importance of Separation of Church (or synagogue or mosque) and State by the Anti-Defamation League. Rep. Kaminsky and his supporters should read it and think about it sometime.
LikeLike
Send a copy to John Boehner, who invited the Pope to address Congress even though there are many other venues in the US for a pontiff’s speech.
LikeLike
Booklady, I don’t mind the Pope addressing Congress. I do mind using tax dollars to teach religious beliefs.
LikeLike
cross-posted at
http://www.opednews.com/Quicklink/Long-Island-Dem-Flips-on-E-in-Best_Web_OpEds-Budget_Education-Vouchers_Flip-flops_Money-150322-479.html#comment538178 with a comment and embedded link:
See my series 15,880, because that is how many districts there are and on by one, charlatans like this one get elected and then suddenly, the puppet-master are in control of the whole shebang. Here is how they flipped the states RED… FABULOUS.. IF YOU MISSED MADDOW ON THE ‘genius tactic”. Once a state is flipped, now they can gerrymander it, and it will never be undone!
This same tactic is at work in the schools, and Kaminsky shows how it is done.
LikeLike
It is not orthodox to bear false witness.
LikeLike
I called out Mr. Kaminsky last week in an e-mail that I sent to him. He has still not responded. He’s a typical political coward who has already determined there’s a lot more campaign money in switching sides? As far as his campaign pledge? Well, the public be damned.
Let’s all remember why the campaign contributions are so important to the crew in Albany. Look over any of the disclosure forms available on the NYS Board of Elections website and you will quickly realize they are using campaign funds to pay for their cars, gas, tolls, parking, food, phones, hotels, clothes, holiday gifts, TV and internet service, subscriptions, etc. They live off these campaign monies. They have monthly campaign credit card bills running as much as $4,000 even in off years or when they face no real opposition. It’s because of these monies that they sell all teachers, parents and students out. They need the contributions from the charter school moguls.
LikeLike
As we in ILL-Annoy well know, so much for “Democrats.” Todd K. is a DemoNcrat, along with many, many others.
LikeLike