Felder to Assembly and Governor: Stop Playing Games with Yeshiva Children

New York – Today, State Senator Simcha Felder (D, Brooklyn) called upon the Assembly and Governor to keep their promise and include the Education Investment Tax Credit in this year’s budget. Despite pledging that the EITC would be included in the budget for 2015-2016, the Assembly broke its promise and deliberately excluded the tuition assistance bill from its own budget proposals released earlier this month.

Now, both the Assembly and the Governor have embarked upon a campaign of misinformation and more empty promises. On March 10th, the Assembly turned its back on overburdened tuition paying parents by excluding the EITC from its budget, choosing instead to include the DREAM Act; a controversial bill that would give undocumented immigrants free college tuition.

“Year after year, the Assembly and Governor promise to pass the EITC, and year after year, they break that promise. What they are really telling us – Yeshiva parents – is that we are not a priority at all,” said Senator Felder. “Parents are not as naïve as the Assembly and Governor think they are. This Purim spiel is over! The Assembly and Governor must stop trying to fool us by shifting blame to each other.”

Senator Felder has launched an all-out petition drive in response to the Assembly’s and Governor’s inability to keep their promise to tuition paying parents.

“We will not give up. We must continue to pressure the Assembly and Governor to pass the EITC immediately and unconditionally,” said Senator Felder. “As the Governor said when he visited our community last year, passing the EITC is ‘a matter of justice.’ The Governor and Assembly simply have no excuse for breaking their promise to help hard-working parents who are struggling to pay for a quality education for their children.”

“Since the start of the petition drive, thousands of parents have written, called, and emailed my office to urge the Assembly and the Governor to pass the EITC this year,” said Senator Felder. “I am humbled and thankful that in this day and age, especially with all the pressures before Pesach, people are taking time out of their hectic day to show support for this important cause.”

“These petitions will continue to put pressure on the Assembly and the Governor to keep their promise and pass the EITC now! Parents are desperate for some relief from the backbreaking weight of tuition costs, and I urge each and every parent to continue to voice their support for the EITC by sending an email with their name and address to [email protected]. Parents can also fill out the petition form on our website at www.felder.nysenate.gov, or call my office at 718-253-2015,” said Senator Felder.

{Matzav.com Newscenter}