United New Yorkers for Choice in Education

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News and Information

May 6, 2009 (see more below)

          The Educational Tax Incentives Act was introduced in the New York State Senate this morning by Sen. John Sampson (D-Brooklyn). The bill was assigned the number S.5444, and has been referred ti the senate Committee on Investigations and Government Operations. As the bill moves through the relevant committees, information will be posted on this website.

April 23, 2009

          The UNYCE office has just learned that Sen. John Sampson (D-Brooklyn) will introduce the 2009 version of the Educational Tax Incentives Act in the Senate. It was indicated that the introduction will take place next week. At that time the bill will be assigned a number.  More information will be posted on this site as soon as it is available.

April 3,  2009      

          "I believe in choice. I believe in competition. Give parents and students great options," (US Secretary of Education) Duncan said. "When there are waiting lists, do more of those schools. When no one's buying, close them."  

          The above is a quote from an editorial in today’s New York Post. Secy. Duncan was in New York for an education conference, and had visited the editorial board of the newspaper.  While he was referring to charter schools as the option that should be available to students and their families, the Secretary nonetheless made an important point. It is hoped that he will expand upon that to include nonpublic schools.

                                                 March 25, 2009

        As the deadline for the 2009 New York State budget approaches, there have been inquiries to UNYCE about the current version of the Educational Tax Incentives Act.  The state consitution requires that the budget be passed and signed no loter that April 1, the beginning of the new fiscal year.  while this requirement has frequently been overlooked, the Governor and the legislative leaders are working to comply with it this year.

          It must be remembered that the New York State legislature operates in a two-year cycle.  While it is important to work for specific legislation during the first of the two years, the progrss made during that year may be carried over to the second year.  Thus, a bill passed in one chamber after the budget has been signed by the Governor may find its way into the following year's budget.  It would still need the approval of the majority in the other chamber, but a major hurdle would have been cleared.

NEWS UPDATE

        As noted below (see the March 4, 2009 posting), the Educational Tas Incentives Act has been reintroduced in the Assembly.  A link to this bill has been posted in the right column of this page, as well as an updated UNYCE Memo of Support.  There is also a link to the Assembly Bill Memo. 

          Because of the changes in the Senate leadership, which took far longer than had been expected, too much time passed without the proper opportunity to negotiate for a new Senate sponsor for this bill.  By the time the new leadership was in place, there was virtually no way for it to be included in the 2009 budget.  However, talks are still under way for the bill to be introduced in the Senate as soon as the budget has been adopted.

March 4, 2009 NEWS UPDATE

          On February 13, the 2009 version of the Educational Tax Incentives Act was introduced in the Assembly, with the bill number A.5628.  The bill attracted nineteen cosponsors, elected representatives who recognize the urgent need for education finance reform.  It is anticipated that the bill will be reintroduced in the Senate shortly.  While this page is being updated, the link to the 2007-08 text of the bill will remain in the column to the right.  There have been only minor technical changes to the text.

         The posting from October 12, 2008, remains relevant, as the fiscal climate of New York State continues to be in crisis.  The Governor and the legislative leaders are working on the budget, which is due by April 1.  Advocates for reform are still digesting the impact of certain steps taken by the Federal government.  Will caps on executive pay and bonuses result in less tax revenue for the state?  How much of the "stimulus" money will be available for education?  What restrictions, if any, will be placed on those Federal dollars?  These are the sort of questions that are being asked, and for which answers are being sought.

          Stay tuned, as this site continues to be updated . . .

EDUCATION FINANCE REFORM NEEDED

NOW MORE THAN EVER

(Posted October 12, 2008)

          Along with the rest of the nation, and the rest of the world, New York State faces a fiscal crisis of unimagined proportions.  One estimate is that as many as 40,000 jobs may be lost, just in the financial sector, collectively known as "Wall Street", leaving the state with a multi-billion dollar hole in current and projected budgets.  Already many elected officials, in both Albany and New York City, have said that the many agencies, departments and other offices will no longer be funded at the levels to which they had become accustomed.

          The massive economic downturn will affect how education in New York State is funded.  The taxpayers will no longer be able to provide the annual increases in state aid, nor will they be able to bear tax increases to make up the shortfall in revenue.  At the same, time, though, the schools must be of high quality; otherwise, those parents who pay the taxes that sustain those schools might find other regions of the country more attractive.

          There will be no single measure the state legislature can take to solve this situation.  However, the Educational Tax Incentives Act can play a role in this effort.  There is a broad consensus developing that alternative ways of raising money for education must be found.  The Educational Tax Incentives Act allows public education entities to solicit tax-advantaged donations.  (A link to this legislation may be found in the right-hand column of this page.)  This bill carries a price tag for the state, but because it offers a partial tax credit for donors, there is an implicit guarantee that K-12 education in New York State will receive more money than the state will lose.

          Another aspect of the now-prevailing fiscal climate is the reality that the public schools cannot afford to absorb a large number of additional students.  Yet this will be the case if many nonpublic schools have to close because of declining enrollments.  In June 2008 approximately two dozen nonpublic schools had to close.  Roughly half of the affected students transferred to public schools, to be educated at taxpayer expense.  The Educatonal Tax Incentives Act offers a tax credit for donations to scholarship organizations.  Although this credit is somewhat smaller than the one offered for donations to public education entities, it will help to stabilize the nonpublic schools that otherwise might have to shut their doors.  This will help taxpayers all across New York State, and especially in those communities where the nonpublic schools are in danger of closure.

          For most New Yorkers, the dark cloud of fiscal uncertainty and disruption is something they have never experienced before.  Our parents and grandparents may have told us stories about the 1930s, but no one anticipated the present storm.  The Educational Tax Incentives Act is offered as a silver lining to that cloud, even though only a partial one.  But these times demand creative action, not just reliance on the ways we have known.  Alternatives to tax-generated income for the schools must be put in place, and the nonpublic sector in education must be stabilized.  The situation requires no less.  The taxpayers deserve this protection from tax increases.  The students in all New York schools -- in New York City, the suburbs and the rural regions of the state -- need the benefits offered by this measure.

A Few Words About UNYCE...

          United New Yorkers for Choice in Education (UNYCE) was founded in 1994, as a nonsectarian, nonpartisan corporation.  UNYCE is dedicated to bringing significant and substantial changes in how elementary and secondary education is funded in New York State.  UNYCE is committed to the belief that parents, not the government, have the primary responsibility for the education of their own children; thus, they should have a range of affordable options for that education.  These options should include traditional public schools, charter public schools, secular or religious nonpublic schools, and homeschooling.

          UNYCE's prime function is to educate parents, voters and taxpayers concerning the possibility of change, that they have the power to effect change.  UNYCE does not endorse candidates for public office, but supports legislation designed to facilitate change. 

          During the 2007 session of the New York State legislature UNYCE supports the Educational Tax Incentives Act, S.3627-A/A.6432-A.  This bill was introduced by Senator Serphin Maltese (R-Queens) and Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) and has bipartisan support.  Cosponsors include legislators from every region of New York State.  A link to a copy of this bill is provided on the right side of this page.  (Because bills in the New York State legislature are printed on pages of a different size than the MS Word pages used for this site, there are large blank spaces in several places in the linked copy.)

          The Educational Tax Incentives Act is designed to help all education in New York State, public and nonpublic alike.  It can help public schools by encouraging school boards and boards of education to establish non-tax-generated income streams.  Under this bill public education entities would be allowed to solicit and accept voluntary cash donations.  Donors would be eligible for partial tax credits for such contributions.  By receiving this extra funding, educators and administrators would have the ablility to enhance academic and extracurricular programs without having to raise tax rates.  There is also a provision to help low-wealth/low-donation districts, so that every public school district in New York State may benefit from this legislation.

          Nonpublic schools would benefit indriectly, though scholarship foundations.  These foundations would receive donations, for which donors would receive a partial tax credit.  A tax credit would also be available for all school personnel, including homeschooling parents, who use their own money for the purchase of classroom supplies and materials.

ON THE ROAD

          The organizing principle on which UNYCE was founded is that the parents, voters and taxpayers of New York State should know that they do not have to settle for the status quo in elementary and secondary education, but that, if they join together, they can work for reform, including reforming how education is financed.  An important part of the UNYCE mission includes visitng individuals and groups around the state, spreading this message.  In late June several members of UNYCE attended a rally in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn.  The rally was organized by members of the Sephardic community there, and attracted scores of parents who are anxious to learn about the possibilty of reform.  These enthusiastic New Yorkers welcomed the message delivied to them by UNYCE President Tim Mulhearn.

            Invitations to speak to groups in any part of the Empire State are welcome in the UNYCE office.  Please contact UNYCE to make arrangements.            

DONATIONS TO UNYCE

          UNYCE has qualified for federal tax exemption under Sec. 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code.  Gifts to UNYCE are not tax deductible as charitable donations.  This is like contributions to political campaigns, but without the dollar limits.  None of the money sent to UNYCE has to be shared with the government in income taxes.

          To make a one-time donations to UNYCE please go to the "Donate" button in the right column.  For a recurring monthly donations, there are three "Subscribe" buttons,  just beneath the "Donate" button.  The top "Subscribe" button is for a monthly donation of twenty-five dollars (less than eighty-three cents a day), the middle button is for a monthly donation of fifteen dollars (less than fifty cents a day), and the bottom button is for a monthly donation of ten dollars (less than thirty-three cents a day).   Whatever amount you donate will be greatly appreciated, and will go toward bringing much-needed reform to New York State.

NEWS UPDATE/ACTION NEEDED

(Posted May 27, 2008)

          On May 20, the NYS Senate Committee on Investigations and Government Operations voted to approve the Educational Tax Incentives Act, S.3627-A, with only one "nay" vote.  The bill was then referred to the Senate Finance Committee.  While the bill still awaits Assembly action, the movment in the Senate came as an encouraging step.

(Posted December 27, 2007)

          The proposed Memorandum for the Educational Tax Incentives Act (S.3627-A/A.6432-A) for 2008 has been added to this site.To view it, use the button in the right colum.

(Posted October 29, 2007)

          The New York State legislature returned to Albany last week, in order to take care of some items previously left unaddressed.  It had been hoped that they would take up and pass the Educational Tax Incentives Act, S.3627-A/A.6432-A.  UNYCE and our friends around the state had made a major effort to promote this.  Some of our Senate allies had written to Sen. Joseph Bruno, the Senate Majority Leader, requesting a vote on the bill, while voters and taxpayers from around the state had let legislators know they expected this action.  While momentum seemed to be developing in support of this legislation, at the last minute the Senate leadership decided against brining up this bill for a vote.

          There is little doubt that a Senate vote would have been in favor of the Educational Tax Incentives Act.  So far, the Senate leadership has not provided a satisfactory answer about what happened that made them go against the supporters of this bill.  One thing they have to know, though, is that this issue will not go away.  Its advocates will be back, well before the opening of the 2008 legislative session.

          ACTION IS NEEDED NOW to request that Governor Spitzer include in his Executive Budget proposal $125 million, the amount projected by the Department of Taxation and Finance for the first year of the Maltese-Hikind bill.  The Governor has already added an amount somewhere in the neighborhood of $1.5 billion in additional funding for education for 2008-09.  He needs to hear that the relatively modest $125 million should be included in his proposal.  Having this sum already in the budget will make it easier for the legislature to approve the legislation.

          Gov. Spitzer's Albany office phone number is (518) 474-8390 and his New York City office number is (212) 681-4580.  The phone number fot Director of the Budget, Paul Francis, is (518) 474-2300.

NEW YORK STATE PUBLIC SCHOOL REPORT CARDS

One of our members was thoughtful enough to suggest that a link be added to allow visitors to this site to see the "report card" for each of the public schools in New York State.  A link has been added for this in the right column on this page.  Finding the information about a particular school might take a bit of time and effort, but the data can be helpful in understanding and evaluating the performance of that school.  After clicking on the year for the data sought, there is an Accountability and Overview Report link near the bottom of the page.  The next step is to select the county and then the school district.  The final step is to click on the link for the particular school.  If difficulties are encountered, please send an e-mail to the UNYCE office and request help.

 CLERGY FOR EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS

          A link to Clergy for Educational Options (CEO) has been added to our UNYCE website.  This is an organization founded by a group of clergy in South Carolina, and can serve as a model for similar groups arond the country, including in New York State.  In fact, plans are under way to form such an organization in New York as an affiliate of UNYCE.  New York State is much more religiously diverse than South Carolina, so a CEO-like group in the Empire State will include a wider variety of members.

SCHOOL CHOICE IN UTAH

          A link has been added from this page to a column by Ken Blackwell on the problems and prospects for school choice in Utah.  The situation in Utah is significantly different than ours in New York.  There the legislature actually passed a school choice bill, and the Governor had signed it.  The problem now is with its implementation.

         The Utah model is not appropirate for New York, although all advocates for equality of educational opportunity should applaud what the legislature and governor have done there.  The reason UNYCE has created a link to this column is so that visitors to the UNYCE site may have a better understanding of what is going on in other parts of the country.  Also, it is important to know who is opposing reform and the lengths to which the will go to block it.

REGISTER TO VOTE

          A link to the New York State Board of Elections has been added  in the column on the right side of this page, at "Register to Vote."   The Board of Elections page lists the qualifications for voting and the directions for how and where to register to vote.  Voting is not only a right of all U.S citizens over the age of eighteen, but it is also the most effective way of either keeping or changing our government leadership.  By voting for candidates who support your right to select the school you believe most appropriate for you own child, you can bring about significant changes in state policies.