There are not many issues the Democratic mayoral hopefuls agree on, especially when they are seated at one table. However, on the one issue that is a great concern for the Jewish community, with the high cost of tuition and transportation, all of the candidates held hands together in opposing school choice vouchers or a tax credit relief.

At the Jewish Press forum in Manhattan Beach Wednesday evening, none of the viable candidates seeking to succeed Mayor Bloomberg expressed their support for some kind of relief to struggling parents who are not able to enroll in the public school system.

SEE VIDEO BELOW

In a previous conversation with YWN, Republican mayoral hopeful Joe Lhota promised to fight hard for school choice vouchers if elected. “The mayor can use the bully pulpit to advocate in Albany for private schools,” he said. “It’s important that our children are properly educated. The role of the government and the role of the state is making sure they have the proper textbooks, making sure they are secure and making sure that they have transportation. The children that go to parochial schools and yeshivas are residents and the children of taxpayers in the city of New York, and they are not getting their fair share,” he asserted.

“On the issue of tax credits, I have been in favor of that. I have yet to find a way that it would cover the full tuition, but some form of a tax credit, to give relief to parents who pay for property tax as well and all the other taxes in New York, and are also paying tuition,” Mr. Lhota proclaimed.

(Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)