As a parent of two school age children in non-public schools, I strongly resent the fact that while my taxpayer dollars are funding public schools, I am not entitled to run for any Community or Citywide Education Council. I believe that all parents should challenge this unfair and I dare to say unconstitutional requirement. All parents of school age children should be welcome to participate and be allowed to run for such positions. The parents that are elected will have an impact in the education of all children, regardless of the kind of school they attend. Non public school children are entitled to receive the same services that all public school children receive, including the right of the parents to participate in organizational policies that deal with education. It is about time that all services available to public school children, should be made freely available to all families whose children attend non public schools, such as: transportation, resource room, textbooks/workbooks, speech therapy and after-school programs without prejudice or pre-conceived attitudes. Participation in such committees by parents like myself could be beneficial for the education of our children and an important step towards providing equal treatment under the law for all students, and accountability for our taxpayer dollars.

Lucretia Regina-Potter
Former Assembly Candidate-49 AD

While most Brooklynites can rest assured that their elected officials at the very least know where their constituents live, it appears that we can have no such confidence here in the 49th. So far this year (meaning from January of 2008 until now) Peter Abbate has appropriated over $7 million in discretionary “pork-barrel” spending up in Albany. All of that money comes of course from your tax dollars, and is enough to make most “tax and spend” legislators in Albany blush. So, one must ask, “where is this money being spent Assemblyman?” The unfortunate answer is that over $1 million of that total went to Columbia University and the New York University School of Dentistry. Now while these may be fine institutions, they simply aren’t in our district, and what business does Mr. Abbate have spending over a million of our tax dollars in a way which does not benefit our immediate community at all? Wouldn’t it have been better to fight for a million dollars in less taxes for the hard working people of our community?

Well, while that may be the obvious answer to you and me, Mr. Abbate is apparently lost and confused. I suppose after spending 22 years in office and doing so little for the community you serve, you just forget where that community even is. So, while we anxiously await Columbia University and NYU campuses on 18th Avenue and Fort Hamilton Parkway (respectively of course) we can vote for someone in November who at least knows where the 49th Assembly District is. And we can all be sure that Lucretia Regina-Potter would offer a lot more than just sound geography as our Assemblywoman.

May 29, 2008 – The New York State Right to Life Committee has endorsed Lucretia Regina-Potter, Republican/Conservative candidate for the 49th State Assembly District.

In a letter sent to Lucretia’s campaign, the Right to Life Committee informed her:

We are very pleased to announce the New York State Right to Life Political Committee endorsement of your candidacy in the race for the 49th Assembly District in the fall 2008 elections.

We sincerely appreciate your defense of unborn children, the dependent elderly, people with disabilities and all innocent and vulnerable members of the human family who are continually threatened by the current culture.

We wish you a successful campaign and we hope to be working with you next year in the New York State Assembly.

We wish you all the best in this race and your future endeavors.

Sincerely,

Barbara Meara, Political Committee Director

Debra Cody, Political Action Coordinator

For twenty-two years, I have been under the impression that Peter Abbate was the Assemblyman of the 49th Assembly District, and many of you have thought this, too. Judging from his, at times, “colorful” newsletters, sent and produced at taxpayer’s expense, one would get that impression: WRONG! He is very proud to have been able to secure millions of dollars for organizations outside our district!

According to his slogan, “Fighting for the Working Families of the 49th AD,” while he, as usual, takes credit for everything that takes place in Albany, and in our neighborhood, he claims to have done all of this single handedly. This sounds a little suspicious to me, being a neighbor of yours and a life-time resident of Bath Beach. I am also the candidate for the New York Sate Assembly in the 49th AD. Many of you who have met me, and/or know me and my family, have shown sincere and genuine interest in my candidacy.

Let us analyze some of his claims. He claims to have helped in giving the families of the 49th AD a child tax credit. What he does not tell you is that during his tenure as our Assemblyman (a long tenure of 22 years) not one, not two, but three parochial schools in the 49th AD have closed.

He also fails to tell you that our area has deteriorated economically, as is shown by the numerous “FOR RENT” signs of small “mom & pop” businesses in the 49th AD. Furthermore, the closing of Victory Memorial Hospital, another disastrous event in our area, left all of us without an emergency room near our homes. Ask all the parents that were inconvenienced by the school closing, or the store owners who lost their businesses, or all those people in our area whose children and perhaps themselves were delivered in the medical facilities of Victory Memorial Hospital and/or used its services for themselves or other relatives and friends; they certainly would not be sympathetic towards Mr. Abbate.

In conclusion, since I am a Bath Beach resident, I suggest that we all show Mr. Abbate that we do not fall for his exaggerations and tall tales. By electing me the first woman to ever represent the 49th Assembly District in Albany, I pledge to you that I will continue to represent Bath Beach and the rest of the ENTIRE 49th Assembly District in Albany. After all, isn’t that what our Assemblyman is paid to do?

On April 9, 2008, Governor Paterson and the State Legislature CUT funding by 2% to Catholic Schools. These funds are used to pay for State mandates in education. These mandates include the 4th and 8th grade NY State exams, as well as other academic criteria in education. By cutting funding for these mandated costs, New York State has broken its legal commitment to reimburse religious and private schools for 100% of State mandated expenses. This is outrageous!

What is even more upsetting to parents like ourselves is that NY State has increased funding to public schools to $1.8 Billion–a 9% increase from last year. It is obvious that the current legislature is not committed to providing an equal amount of quality education to our children. Remember that the $1.8 billion dollars is taxpayer money, and our taxes are paying for an education that our children will never receive. There are over 500,000 children in religious and private schools across the State, and yet time and time again we are refused even the smallest tax relief for our families.

Recently, I attended a local Community Board meeting where this issue was brought up to two local Assemblymen; they clearly stated that in no uncertain terms was the State of New York ever to assist any family that sends their children to private or religious schools. When I questioned the reason why, their response was “because it is a NY State Constitutional Amendment.”  I then stated that this Amendment easily can be changed or modified to offer relief to parents like ourselves. After all, Assembly members are the closest representing body of government to the people, who should always keep the best interests of their constituents in mind.

Obviously this is not the case at present.

We all know and are well aware of the academic success and achievements our children receive at St. Ephrem School. This is due to the fact that we have an excellent teaching staff and superb administrators. “To be a Catholic school teacher is a Calling in addition to a rewarding career”, stated Mrs. Bartone, our principal.
Our teachers serve will lower salaries and reduced benefits than their public school counterparts. Their tenure is certainly subjected to student performance.

Catholic schools are accountable to the families who are in essence their customers. We as parents trust St. Ephrem School with our children’s academic and spiritual education. Our lawmakers have entrusted public school education to a large special interest group known as the public school teachers union. We should realize that this teachers union does not and should not represent the children or their parents in New York State. “Teachers unions are trade associations whose basic interests begin and end with the financial security of their own membership” states Richard E. Barnes, executive director of the New York State Catholic Conference.

I strongly urge all of you to pay attention to the local political races and to support those candidates that are friendly to our cause and support Tuition Tax Credits and other educational assistance to private and religious schools.

I will keep you posted on this and other issues of interest to all of us in the near future.

Thank you,

Lucretia