Dear Friends:

We pay taxes to support a public school system that our children do not attend, while at the same time paying increasing tuition to give our children a yeshiva education.  For years, people have asked, why cant something be done to help relieve this double burden? 

This year, we believe something can be done. Governor Pataki has included a proposal for tuition tax credits in his budget, and there is also a major tuition tax credit bill gathering support in the State Legislature.  Were working hard to generate support in the legislature for these proposals, but to succeed we need your help!

Tuition tax credits would be of great benefit to many families in our community.   Under the Governor's proposal, for example, families who live in failing public school districts (which includes all of New York City) whose adjusted annual gross income is under $75,000, would receive $500 for each child in yeshiva.  Those making up to $90,000 would receive a smaller per-child credit. Under the Lopez-Golden bill, the benefits would be available even more broadly and more generously.  The bottom line is that a tuition tax credit is the equivalent of giving each eligible family a cash refund for part of the tuition they pay for each child in yeshiva.   

The sponsors of the tax credit legislation have personally asked us to do all we can to demonstrate massive grassroots support for the passage of tax credit legislation.  There are powerful forces opposed to such legislation, and we therefore need to show the legislators in Albany, in a dramatic way, that there is strong public support for this vital initiative.

We therefore urge you,   if you are at all able to do so, to attend a major rally in Albany on February 14 to show your support for tuition tax credits.  Nothing will show the legislature more clearly how deeply we care about this issue than having concerned voters take a day off from their busy lives to travel to the State Capitol and stand up for this vital legislation.