Victims of clergy sex abuse are criticizing Timothy Cardinal Dolan’s efforts to boost charitable donations to schools.
Mary Caplan, co-director of the New York City chapter of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, issued a statement Wednesday blasting Dolan for lobbying Albany lawmakers this week to approve tax credits for those who donate to schools or other education-related groups.
“When they want money for their institutions, Catholic officials lobby hard and say they care deeply about kids,” Caplan said. “But when kids who were abused want a chance for justice, Catholic officials lobby hard to deny those kids their day in court. All across the US, Dolan and his brother bishops use all their political will and power and resources to block moves to reform archaic, predator-friendly statute of limitations laws that endanger kids and protect those who commit and conceal heinous child sex crimes.”
Dolan spent the day at the Capitol Tuesday urging Gov. Cuomo and legislative leaders to support legislation that would grant up to $300 million in tax credits to people who donate to schools and other educational organizations. He argued it would encourage more donations to both public and private schools while also boosting funds for scholarships to parochial schools.
The measure has been approved in the Senate the past two years but stalled in the Assembly. The state's powerful teachers' union - New York State United Teachers - opposes the bill, arguing it would siphon money away from public schools.