Treyger Calls On New York Lottery to Reinstate College Scholarship Program
Coney Island City Councilman Mark Treyger yesterday called on the New York Lottery to reinstate the Leaders of Tomorrow college scholarship program.
The program, which the agency cut in 2009, awarded one student from every high school, public and private, in the state a $5,000 scholarship.
“Lottery fever has gripped all of us. Everyone is talking about the ever-climbing Powerball jackpot. At over one billion dollars, this mind-boggling sum of money will change the life of anyone fortunate enough to have picked the winning six-digit combination,” said Treyger in an emailed statement..
“But the real winner of Powerball-mania is the state lottery agency. The higher the jackpot climbs, the more money New Yorkers spend on tickets, and the more money the New York Lottery takes in. The agency makes sure the hype continues to grow, spending big bucks on promoting the jackpot prize by advertising through a wide variety of media.
“Every year, this agency takes in billions of dollars. In 2009, the New York Lottery took in approximately $7.5 billion. That was the same year the agency ended its Leaders of Tomorrow scholarship program. For nine years, the agency had given out a $5,000 scholarship to one student from every high school, public and private, in the state. The Leaders of Tomorrow program helped more than 2,000 students pay for college. The agency cut the program to save $1.4 million.
“It is time for the agency to reinstate the Leaders of Tomorrow scholarship program. Tuition costs across the state and the country continue to rise. The justification by state officials for the existence of the lottery has always been the funding it can provide for education, yet this program was canceled after just nine years so that the agency could save what at that time amounted to less than .02% of its revenue.
“While the lottery has the power to change the lives of a handful of individuals, it is not a profitable venture for the vast majority of people who help the agency make its revenue. The New York Lottery took in over $9 billion in revenue each of the last two years. If funding education is no longer the priority for the agency, then perhaps it is time to reexamine its very existence.”
Golden, Felder Education Tax Credit Bill Passes Senate
Brooklyn State Senators Marty Golden (Bay Ridge) and Simcha Felder (Borough Park) yesterday saw this year’s version of the controversial Education Tax Credit Bill pass the senate and move to the Assembly for debate.
Under the measure, tax credits are given to wealthy individuals who make charitable contributions to both public and private schools, and scholarship organizations. The measure has long garnered support of cash-strapped private and parochial Christian, Jewish and Muslim schools. Conversely, public school advocates, including the powerful teachers union, believe the measure is a de facto funding of private schools, which crosses the line between separation of church and state.
“Today the Senate passed legislation that would create an education tax credit to help families. The Assembly should do the same so that hardworking tax-paying citizens are given much needed economic
help to meet the rising cost of tuition. This bill will also encourage donations to schools, scholarship funds and support families of students educated through home school programs,” said Golden.
“Additionally, by permitting teachers and school staff to claim a credit for the purchase of classroom
instructional materials and supplies, we are improving the value of lessons taught in our classrooms. In New York State, every student no matter where they attend classes deserves a quality education and the resources they need to succeed. This legislation will advance New York State’s interest in
providing the highest quality of education to all students.”
Senator Felder said, “It’s about time that tuition-paying parents start to get the relief they deserve. This bill needs to become law so at long last this goal is made a reality.”
The credit would provide a maximum tax credit of 90 percent of individuals and corporate franchise taxpayers’ qualified contributions, capped at $1 million. The credit is capped at $150 million for 2017, $225 million for 2018, and $300 million for 2019 and thereafter. Taxpayers would not be allowed to use a qualified contribution as both a charitable itemized deduction and a credit against their New York State income tax.
Colton Office Offers HEAP Assistance
Bensonhurst, Bath Beach Assembly Member William Colton announced applications for Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP Heating Assistance) and HeartShare Human Services Neighborhood Heating Fund are available at his community office, 155 Kings Highway (between West 12th and West 13th Streets).
The two government programs offers financial assistance to eligible residents pay their heating and energy cots.
“I encourage all residents who believe they qualify for these services to visit my community office and speak with a constituent case counselor who can help them apply for these benefits. In this winter season, it is important to ensure that those who are struggling to pay for their home heating costs receive the help that they need,” said Colton.
Counselors are able to speak with constituents in English, Russian, Chinese and Spanish, Monday through Friday.
The district office is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays; from 12 noon to 8 p.m. on Thursdays; and from 10 a.m. to 12 noon on Fridays. For more information call 718-236-1598.
Adams Honors Hero MTA Worker
Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams today will honor a dedicated Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) worker who rescued a woman who had fallen onto the tracks at the Franklin Avenue subway station in Crown Heights.
Ralph Johnson will be declared “Hero of the Month” for January in honor of his commitment to protecting another individual from potentially serious harm and even death, despite the risk to himself. Those in attendance will include members of Johnson’s family, representatives of the MTA, and members of Transport Workers Union 100. This is a continuation of Adams’ monthly “Hero of the Month” events honoring the accomplishments of Brooklynites from all walks of life.
The event is slated for 3 p.m. at Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon Street in Downtown Brooklyn.
Malliotakis Unveils Assembly Minority Conference Education Agenda
GOP Bay Ridge Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis yesterday joined members of the Assembly Minority Conference in unveiling “The Next Step” 2016 Education Agenda, which is committed to reforming the Common Core Standards while also implementing high-quality, appropriate standards for New York’s education system.
“New York spends the most on education but we are far from number one in results. From day one many of my colleagues and I knew that adopting Common Core was a mistake,” said Malliotakis. “We held forums and listened to the concerns of education stakeholders at the local level. With their input we developed a plan that would help us revitalize the standards and curriculum in their entirety. We fought over the past few years and achieved some success but it was not enough. As we head into a new year, I am encouraging both houses of the legislature to implement these proposals so we can build on the successes and continue improving what has been a disastrous education policy.”
“The Next Step” 2016 Education Agenda, which has been introduced by the Minority Conference, includes measures to:
- Repeal the current teacher evaluation system and empower the Board of Regents to establish, with requisite input from education experts, school administrators, parents and teachers, a teacher evaluation system to be implemented statewide;
- Create new state learning standards with the help and guidance of teachers, school administrators, parents and education experts;
- Ensure all state assessments are age/developmentally appropriate and of the highest quality;
- Stop high stakes testing of our children. In 2014, the state passed legislation to end testing of students grade k-2 only;
- Provide increased flexibility for our students by providing them with multiple pathways to success, and for our local school districts by giving them the freedom and resources to develop curriculum locally.
Lander Promotes More Diverse Schools
Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Kensington City Councilman Brad Lander is spreading the word on the city’s ongoing effort to promote diverse schools, as families of 4- and 5-year-olds face this Friday, January 15 deadline for kindergarten enrollment.
While most NYC public school students attend kindergarten at their zoned school, several other options are available. To help make these options more inclusive, the NYC Department of Education recently agreed to allow several schools to pilot pro-diversity admissions policies. These schools will prioritize some seats for English Language Learners, students eligible for Free and Reduced-Price Meals, and/or out-of-zone families (depending on the school), said Lander in his newsletter to constituents.
Lander noted there are four great, non-zoned options for kindergarten in his district for families to consider. They are:
- PS 133 (610 Baltic Street): The school has a curriculum rich in language, global perspectives and cultures. It’s been named a citywide model for its French and Spanish dual language program.
- The Children’s School – PS 372 (512 Carroll Street): The school values and supports a diverse student body with “inclusion” classrooms, high teacher to student ratios, small class sizes, and a full range of special education services.
- PS 15 – Patrick F. Daly School of the Arts (71 Sullivan Street): The school celebrates and supports student diversity through a growing STEM program, strong arts education, a wealth of community partnerships, and dual language programs.
- The Brooklyn New School (BNS) (610 Henry Street): The school is committed to a diverse group of students engaged in active learning to achieve academic and personal success.
Please see this flyer for more about these schools, their specific admissions policies, and contact information (it’s available in English, Spanish, Bengali, and Chinese).
