The New York State legislature voted today on a multi-billion dollar deficit reduction plan that rejects all cuts to education including yeshivas. This is significant because in past years the legislature has rejected cuts to public education while cutting yeshiva funding. Specifically, Governor Paterson proposed a 10% mid-year cut to private schools which askanim estimated would cost yeshivas $2.5 million this year.
David G. Greenfield, Esq., Director & Counsel of TEACH NYS, who spent many days in Albany over the past month leading the fight to stop these cuts said, “This is a significant accomplishment for our yeshivas. In a recession, there was simply no way that Yeshivas could have taken this financial hit.” Greenfield lauded the leadership of the Senate and Assembly. In particular, he singled out Senate Leader John Sampson and Senate Finance Chairman Carl Kruger for praise. He also praised Speaker Sheldon Silver and Brooklyn Democratic Chairman Assemblyman Vito J. Lopez for their leadership on this issue.
Mr. Greenfield went on to explain that the Jewish community was united behind these cuts and thanked the UJO of Willamsburg and Agudath Israel of America for working to fights these cuts, as well. Other Senators with large frum constituencies who supported yeshivas on this issue include: Senators Marty Golden, Jeff Klein, Kevin Parker, Diane Savino, Dean Skelos, Malcolm Smith, Toby Ann Stavitsky & Dan Squadron. On the Assembly side, members with large frum constituencies who supported yeshivas on this issue include: Jonathan Bing, Alec Brook-Krasny, Karim Camara, Michael Cusick, Aileen Gunther, Dov Hikind, Rhoda Jacobs, Hakeem Jeffries, Alan Maisel, Rory Lancman, Joseph Lentol, Nettie Mayersohn, Audery Pheffer, Darryl Towns, Helene Weinstein and Kenneth Zebrowski.
TEACH NYS is the only organization that is exclusively dedicated to solving the tuition crisis and has a team of professionals who are frequently in Albany working tirelessly on behalf of yeshivas and yeshiva parents.
(Moshe Altusky – NYC)
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7 Responses
While this is good for us, it means that we (along with everyone else in New York who enjoys feeding at the public trough)is part of the problem. Unless you believe that Mr. Obama and the Democrats can miraculously revive the economy through deficit spending, expanding public debt and printing oodles of money (which he shares with us, nice of him to remember us)THEN it will be necessary to cut taxes and spending.
The goyim have a saying that if you aren’t part of the solution, you are part of the problem. It seems we are asserting our right, along with everyone else, to be part of the problem. Perhaps this explains why the Democrats do so well in our community in spite of their repugnant social policies. We enjoy being part of the problem
See, the Democrats know that the Jews will vote them out if they cut the budget going to yeshivos. What everyone is ignoring is that the Republicans by and large are for vouchers to yeshiva parents no matter how old their particular child is or how much the income is. Wouldn’t it better if the parents were given vouchers for worth $15,000.00 each and then the choice would be up to the parents?
But, the UFT is against that, a major contributor to the Democratic Party. So, the control over the Jewish vote continues…..
Why even consider cuts? The federal government gave TONS of money for education in the Stimulus Plan. This, coinciding with cuts in the fire departmen, ALSO funded via the Stimulus Plan, smells of overt corruption.
#2- I thought you were a conservative. Having the Federal government hand out $15K checks for each kid is an extremely liberal position that necessitates either a high level of taxation, or a massive deficit funded by some sort of “funny money”.
Ah, akuperma, the conservatives have always, always advocated school vouchers. This would give the parents the choice to send their children anywhere whether the Catholic school, the charter school, or the yeshiva. The UFT has always opposed this because they assume rightly so that if parents would have the choice, they would empty about 75% of the public school system and that would mean less members of the UFT and the NEA.
Just look at what happened in Washington D.C. The Obama administration took away the vouchers because it gave the parents the choice to where they send their children.
It is estimated that the public school system spends that same amount currently. It would not mean a greater amount of taxation. I am stating that instead of the schools getting the money rather the parents do and pick out whichever school they wanted to go to. Your position that this would necessitate a high level of taxation is intentionally misrepresenting my point with the hopes of the Jews who read this site being scared away from school vouchers.
It is a usual liberal tactic. But, I was prepared in advance for it. Oh, well….
It would seem from Moshe Altusky’s article that he is unaware of United New Yorkers for Choice in Education (UNYCE). Founded in 1994, this organization has been working to help make alternatives to traditional public schools both accessible and affordable. These include yeshivas, Catholic schools and charter schools. More information about this organization and their efforts on behalf of students, parents and taxpayers may be found on their website, http://www.unyce.org.
The legislation supported by UNYCE is the Educational Tax Incentives Act. Earlier this year this bill was introduced by Assemblyman Dov Hikind and Senator John Sampson, with several cosponsors.
Go Flatbush Bubby!!!!! We mothers are all for it.