VIDEO: Cardinal Timothy Dolan visits Albany, lobbies for tax credit

By Michael Hill
Saratogian
March 19, 2014

http://www.saratogian.com/government-and-politics/20140319/video-cardinal-timothy-dolan-visits-albany-lobbies-for-tax-credit

Cardinal Timothy Dolan speaks during a news conference at the Capitol on Tuesday, March 18, 2014, in Albany, N.Y. Dolan and bishops from around the state are advocating for a new tax credit for charitable donations made for educational purposes. The legislation would eventually add up to $300 million a year for education, with half going to public school programs and half going to scholarships for students who attend private schools.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan talks to reporters after meeting with Gov. Andrew Cuomo at the Capitol on Tuesday, March 18, 2014, in Albany, N.Y.

ALBANY >> New York City Cardinal Timothy Dolan and bishops from around the state made a lobbying push at the Capitol on Tuesday for a long-sought tax credit that could save Catholic schools from shuttering.

Dolan and the bishops met with Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders to advocate for a tax credit for charitable donations made for educational purposes. The legislation would eventually be worth up to $300 million a year, with half going to public school programs and half going to scholarships for students who attend private schools.

Supporters believe the fresh infusion of scholarship money could save some struggling Catholic schools and help students in all types of schools.

“We’re not talking about different schools — charters, public, Catholic, Jewish, private. No. we’re talking about our kids. Our kids are going to benefit from this,” Dolan said, surrounded by lawmakers and bishops at a news conference.

Though a version of the measure has been approved in the state Senate, it has met resistance in the Democrat-led state Assembly. Supporters, which also include some labor unions, believe they can improve their chances of passage by folding the measure into the state budget due April 1.

Opponents claim the measure would not add money to education, but instead siphon it away from a finite pool of state money. Richard Iannuzzi, president of the New York State United Teachers union, likened it to a voucher system.

“This scheme will result in a windfall for wealthy benefactors and badly needed dollars will be taken away from schools,” Iannuzzi said. “And more often than not, they’re taken away from the poorest schools.”

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said after meeting with Dolan that he had “certain concerns” about what he called a new expenditure.

Dolan told reporters after finishing up his day of meetings that Silver “seemed to be wrestling” with the issue. But the cardinal expressed confidence.

“We would hope that they would not see it as state money, but as people’s money to be used for the education of the kids,” he said.