There is a full court press on to gain passage of the Education Tax Credit proposal in Albany. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has thrown the full weight of his office behind it in spite of Democratic Party opposition in the Assembly.

As you know, the bill would give a tax break to anyone who donates to a scholarship fund such as Futures in Education. The governor even wants a tuition tax credit for parents who pay tuition to Catholic and other private schools.

The current proposal not only helps Catholic schools in the long run – it doesn’t solve all our problems – but it also is a boost to public schools and public school teachers.

Naturally, the state’s Teachers’ Union is against anything that could help private schools and its powerful lobby has swung the new House Speaker, Carl Heastie, from a supporter to an opponent.

You need to let your Assembly representative know that we need to have a choice in where we can send our children to school. Public schools should not have a monopoly on our children and that’s exactly what happens when so many people cannot afford tuition.

The following Assembly members from Brooklyn do not support us on this proposal and they need to hear from their constituents: Peter Abbate, 236-1764; Charles Barron, 257-5824; Rodneyse Bichotte, 940-0428; James Brennan, 788-7221; Erik Dilan, 386-4576; Walter Mosley, 596-0100; Roxanne Persaud, 252-2124; Annette Robinson, 399-7630; JoAnne Simon, 246-4889; and Latrice Walker, 312-1484.

Also these Queens Assembly members need to hear from you: Jeffrion Aubry, 457-3615, and Catherine Nolan, 784-3194.