Tobacco, Malliotakis seek tuition tax credit and passage of MTA payroll tax reimbursement
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Island lawmakers are calling upon the state to take action to prevent 32 Catholic schools across the city -- four of which are on Staten Island -- from facing closure.
Assemblyman Lou TobaccoAssemblyman Lou Tobacco (R-South Shore) and Assemblywoman-elect Nicole
Malliotakis (R-East Shore/Brooklyn) are calling on the state to:
Reimburse schools for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority payroll
tax, a move that has already been approved by the Assembly but is
awaiting action in the Senate; provide refunds to private and Catholic
schools for the Comprehensive Attendance Policy reimbursement, and
create a tuition tax credit.
Their call for action follows Tuesday's announcement by the New York Archdiocese that it is considering withdrawing financial support to 32 schools across the state. The Island schools are St. Margaret Mary School, Midland Beach; St. Sylvester School, Concord; St. Roch School, Port Richmond, and St. Mary School, Rosebank.
"At the very least, Catholic and private schools will be forced to eliminate teacher positions and increase tuition costs if the Legislature does not take action to protect the state's non-public schools," Tobacco said. "Many of these schools will be forced to close their doors for good -- a great loss to our communities and educational system."
Assemblywoman-elect Nicole Malliotakis Ms. Malliotakis and Tobacco said they are hopeful the legislature will take action when it reconvenes in January or that it will call a special session.
The archdiocese said it encourages any of the 32 schools that want to remain open to submit a proposal in the coming weeks explaining how they can be self-sustaining, which could include proposals to increase enrollment.
Final decisions on which schools will be closed will be made in January.
"With education playing an important role in today's economy, lawmakers must work together to both reduce the tax burden on these schools, and provide assistance to help these institutions to not only stay open, but grow," Ms. Malliotakis said.