Governor Andrew Cuomo‘s announcement, yesterday, of legislation to help both parents and supporters of nonpublic schools with tax breaks drew strong applause from both Boro Park Assemblyman Dov Hikind and and the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community.
Dubbed the Parental Choice in Education Act, the measure provides for $150 million in education tax credits including to low-income families who send their children to nonpublic schools, as well as scholarships to low- and middle-income families whose children attend a nonpublic school.
A $70 million portion of the Act will provide credits to families of nonpublic school students. Families with annual incomes below an established threshold would qualify for up to $500 per student for tuition expenses to nonpublic and out-of-district public schools. In addition, $50 million is provided in credits to support scholarships for low-income and other students in grades P-12 who attend nonpublic schools.
“Education is the greatest gift that a parent can give to their children – and it is also one of the most personal decisions that a parent can make. That’s why we need to support parental choice in education,” said Cuomo. “By rewarding donations that support public schools, providing tax credits for teachers when they purchase classroom supplies out of pocket, and easing the financial burden on families who send their children to independent, parochial or out-of-district public schools, we can make a fundamental difference in the lives of students, families and educators across the state.”
Hikind said the legislation addresses the Education Investment Tax Credits (EITC), for which he had been fighting to get included in the recently passed state budget.
“When EITC was excluded from the budget, many people gave up hope,” Hikind said. “You never get anywhere by giving up. A lot happens during the final weeks of a legislative session. I am hopeful that this relief for our families who opt for private school will happen during this legislative session. Regardless, we will fight for this until it gets done.”
Meanwhile, Agudath Israel Of America, a Ultra-Orthodox Jewish organization which had been intensely lobbying Albany to pass the EITC, said they strongly support the measure.
“We already have a robust agenda with the state legislature, but this new proposal by Governor Cuomo immediately jumps to the top of our priority list. We will use all of our advocacy resources to support the Governor on this vital game-changing initiative,” the organization said in a joint message.
