Boro Park Assemblyman Dov Hikind is leading the charge of a dozen more colleagues in calling on Governor Andrew Cuomo to keep his word and make the Education Investment Tax Credits a reality once and for all.
The proposal would give tax breaks to parents of students attending private and parochial schools to help defray the tuition and transportation costs.
“Parents in our community have waited a long time for this much-deserved relief. We won’t stop fighting for this until it’s passed,” vowed Hikind. “Every year, a critical segment of New York’s population is unfairly excluded from our State’s education equation. Parents who opt to send their children to religious and private schools save New York State an astronomical amount of money. The Education Investment Tax Credits Act would make it possible for New York to finally give something back to these parents and provide the much needed relief that they deserve.
“Governor Cuomo made it clear that he agrees. He called Education Investment Tax Credits justice when he visited our communities. There was no talk about connecting this to the Dream Act or anything else. Now it’s time for the Governor to deliver Education Investment Tax Credits with no strings attached.”
Among the other Brooklyn Assembly members that Hikind helped line up to lobby for the measure are Alec Brook-Krasny, William Colton, Steven Cymbrowitz, Joseph Lentol, Walter Mosley, Felix Ortiz and Helen Weinstein. Queens Assembly members lining up behind the bill are Andrew Hevesi, Phillip Goldfeder, Michael Simanowitz, Nily Rozic and David Weprin.
Hikind met yesterday with Cuomo and Joe Percoco, his executive deputy secretary to discuss the issue.
“The three of us had a very good meeting and while there is still much work to be done, I am encouraged. We’ve made an impression. But parents need to continue to call and we all need to do everything possible to express the importance of passing this vital legislation, which will help so many families throughout our community and our State,” said Hikind.
Hikind is urging people from his district and beyond to call Cuomo’s Albany office at 1-518-474-8390 or in Manhattan at 1-212-681-4579 and let him know just how important the Education Investment Tax Credits is to the community.
