Timothy Cardinal Dolan Is Outraged That Albany Did Not Approve Promised Tax Credits

By Glenn Blain
New York Daily News
April 10, 2014

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/timothy-cardinal-dolan-outraged-state-approve-tax-credits-article-1.1751311

A fuming Timothy Cardinal Dolan has had it with state lawmakers.

In a letter sent to more than 70,000 families in the Archdiocese of New York this week, Dolan vented his anger at Albany for not approving tax credits that he and other Catholic bishops argued would have boosted funds for parochial school scholarships.

“Well, with some chagrin, I have to admit that a ‘done deal’ in Albany apparently does not mean what you and I think it means – that something will actually get done,” Dolan wrote in the letter sent home with Catholic school children Tuesday.

“I am frustrated, disappointed and angry,” Dolan continued. “As of today, I still have not heard why the promised credit did not go through.”

Dolan did not single out any individual lawmakers for blame but noted he had personal meetings with Gov. Cuomo, Senate GOP Leader Dean Skelos and others who had pledged support.

The legislation would have provided up to $300 million in tax credits to people who donate money to schools and other educational organizations.

Dolan and several other bishops visited Albany in March to lobby for the credits to be included in the state budget.

Cuomo and Skelos expressed support for the measure but Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) opposed it, arguing the credits would siphon money away from public schools.

New York State United Teachers, the state’s powerful teacher’s union, also urged lawmakers to reject the tax credit, calling it a voucher system in disguise

"No one worked harder than Senator Skelos to make the Education Investment Tax Credit part of the budget, but we couldn't get all of the parties to agree,” said Skelos spokesman Scott Reif.

“Senator Skelos considers this an open issue and a priority for the rest of session, and we are going to keep fighting for it,” Reif added.

A Cuomo administration official would only say that the governor remains supportive of the tax credit.

Silver, through a spokesman, declined to comment.

Dolan, in his letter, lamented that most politicians only seem to take notice of Catholic schools when “they are trying to get a child into one of our schools” or when a school is closing.

Despite his anger and disappointment, Dolan urged supporters not to give up.

“Yes, it’s a ‘Good Friday moment,’ but there’s always Easter!,” he wrote.