In recent weeks a television commercial has surfaced featuring the top leader of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York. The 30-second message targets Governor Andrew Cuomo. In this Focus on Education report -- WBFO'S Eileen Buckley says Cardinal Timothy Dolan is publicly lobbying Cuomo for the Education Investment Tax Credit.
Cardinal Dolan appears in the television ads with a diverse group of Catholic school children standing next to him. Just a few weeks ago, during a Buffalo rally with Catholic school children, Bishop Richard Malone said the Governor broke a promise to include the education tax credit in the state budget. http://youtu.be/H3DL2sp2HGg
"Governor Cuomo has assured us he fight for an innovated plan to help these students, but when the state budget was done -- we were left out," said Dolan in the ad.
"Just because I support something doesn't mean necessarily mean it's going to happen. There's something called the legislature and the legislative process. There's something called an assembly and a senate," said Governor Cuomo during a visit to Buffalo.
Governor Cuomo admitted the tax credits were considered, but never made it through a vote in the state legislature.
"There's a proposal made for educational tax credits that would go to parochial schools and public schools 50/50. It was debated in the legislature. There was a period of time I thought it would pass. At the end of the day, it didn't pass. It was very controversial," said Cuomo.
The tax credits could be helpful in encourage donations for funding of private, catholic and public schools and to help support scholarships. The diocese says the funds are needed to prevent any more catholic grade schools from shutting down.
State Assemblyman Sean Ryan of tells WBFO News he has reservations about those tax incentives -- fearing if approved -- the Western New York region might not see a direct benefit.
"My concern on this bill, all along, is there's no regional carve out on it," said Ryan. In future years we take a Quarter billion dollars and apply it toward private education -- there's no reason to believe -- under the current bill -- any of it would make it to Western New York. And we've asked to have income qualifications from people who would be the recipient of it, but we've run into fierce resistance from the New York City members."
Ryan also noted there has been little talk on the Education Investment Tax Credits during this week's session in Albany.