« NYYRC May Political Forum [Back to Blog] Democrats return to their roots »

Pataki Outmaneuvered by Silver, Yet Again

Gov. Pataki thought he had one up on Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver by proposing a $500 per child education tax credit as part of this years budget deal. This credit, that parents can use to take $500 annually right off the top of their tax bill, could be used for anything from school uniforms and supplies to tutoring or even private school tuition.

Is this a good thing? Of course it is. Anything that helps overtaxed, overworked and over-stressed parents in NY is a good thing. However, everyone also saw this proposal for what it really was. A backdoor attempt to establish government funding for private school tuition.

Not that $500 is going to make it possible for hordes of parents who couldn't afford private schools before to suddenly pull their kids out of public school and make a commitment that would probably cost them a few thousand more minimum. But it sets a precedent that can hopefully be expanded in the future.

However, New Yorkers should never underestimate the shrewdness of Shelly Silver. He's been taking Albany republicans to the cleaners for over a decade now, and he has his moves down pat. This time, faced with the choice of either allowing this back door precedent to be set in favor of tax dollars being allowed to help fund private school education, or, if he opposes the measure risk voter backlash for standing in between parents and badly needed tax relief, he rewrote the choices.

Silver decided he could outflank Patakl by offering a broad-based child tax credit for every parent, no strings attached. You have a kid under 18, you get the credit. It only came to $330 per child, but more parents get it. When confronted with the no-win scenario, Silver changed the rules of the situation giving him an out. A very Captain Kirk thing to do, for you Star Trek fans.

Now, Pataki has vetoed the Silver version and asked that the legislature send him a tax credit specifically for education. Is this a winning move for Pataki, or will Silver continue to hold the upper hand in this fight? Well, Silver has neutralized any anti-parent attack by offering his own giveaway. Plus, he can still up the anti by increasing the amount of his credit. What does he care? Controlling state spending has never been his concern.

Can we come out of this with tax relief for NY parents? I expect so, but it looks unlikely to be the education credit republicans had hoped for. In the Albany triumvirate, Silver is Caesar and Bruno and Pataki are mostly there for show. Republicans dreams of a back door path to school vouchers in NY is DOA, and will need to lead that fight strictly on its merits.

by Robert Hornak, Thursday, Apr. 13 | Permalink



I think at least some New Yorkers see straight through Silver's trickery. For one, Silver's tax credit whether it be $330 or more, has nothing to do with education, and will not affect education at all. With failing schools, it's education that should be the forefront issue, and more measures should be proposed that affect education for the better.

We all know public schools has its problems, and throwing more and more money at them, hasn't solved these problems. Throughout the country, however, voucher and/or tax credit programs have helped parents afford private schooling, helped public schools reduce it's overcrowdedness, and helped students do better. But because the NYC teacher's union, through intimidation, have been more successful in convincing New Yorkers that with more money at their disposal, and no accountability, they can cure all the problems in public schools, some New Yorker's have been fooled. The sad result is that elected officials have failed public schools terribly, espcially in NYC. Mayor Bloomberg should be demanding accountability and education tax credits, and supporting the Governor's proposal.

My feeling is Governor Pataki is going to fight this to the bitter end and hopefully win. New Yorkers deserve education tax credits, at least something to start with, because it makes sense for all involved, and has been very successful elsewhere in the country.

by Raquel , Thursday, Apr. 13

Posted by Raquel
Thursday, Apr. 13 - 2:02 PM




I agree with your basic premise, that we need more money in the hands of parents for education. Silver's plan actually does that, if that's what parents want to use it for. They can put that $330 toward tuition, tutors, clothes, child care, a new baby stroller, or whatever they need to use it for. And the accounting is simple, you just claim it. You won't need to report what you use it for.

It sucks for us on an ideological level, because we lose the chance to establish a precedent for taxpayer money going to private schools. But Silver was never going to let us have it that easily. This is still a win for parents, just not the win we wanted.

by Robert Hornak , Thursday, Apr. 13

Posted by Robert Hornak
Thursday, Apr. 13 - 6:44 PM