Gestetner Updates

NY Democratic Congressmen who represent some of the largest Orthodox Jewish and Hasidic Communities in NY, have voted against Child Tax Credits for Jewish children up to age 17. This amounts to millions of dollars on a per-district, per-annual basis which ultimately helped thousands of Jewish families.

One example is the 2003 Jobs Bill that was passed by the then-Republican Congress, yet Democrat Congressmen of NY voted against it because according to them it was a “Tax Cuts for the rich on the backs of the poor,” when in fact $400 Rebate Checks went out that year for most Jewish families for every child up to age 17. Eligibility included most single parents who earned up to $55,000 in 2002, and couples who filed jointly earning up to $110,000. (The additional tax Credits phased out by $50 for every additional $1,000 in income.)

Despite the massive help to Jewish families, the incumbent Democrats voted against it, one by one. One example, among many is Democrat Eliot Engel who represents New York’s 17’th Congressional District, which includes parts of Bronx, Westchester and Rockland counties.

For the Modern/Strictly Orthodox and Hasidic Communities in Rockland County, the above Tax Credit meant more than $7 million dollars in tax rebates just in 2003 – based on the approximately 18,000 children that are enrolled in Private Schools. The 18,000 figure covers mostly – but only – children from age 4, to age 14 by the boys, and through age 17 by the girls. (If one includes children under the age of four; boys above age fourteen, and the hundreds more who are not enrolled in any school, it is reasonable to keep the number at approximately 18,000 children who were eligible to this credit. Regardless the exact number, the point is the same.)

To a family of three children, the Tax Credit meant on average an additional $1,200 during 2003 in form of a rebate. Additionally, the tax credit per child increased through the years to the current up-to $1,000 per child. The credit will be reduced back to $500 in 2011, since the NY Democrat Congressmen – such as Engel, Towns, Hall, Wiener, and Nadler – voted to be now on a five-week vacation without extending these cuts.

The same goes with Democrat Senators Schumer and Gellibrand who were able to vote in the Senate for Health Care and Financial Reform and anything what Obama wanted strong. Yet, they didn’t have time to give to the Jewish Community continues Child Tax Credits worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

But of course: Let’s vote for the Dem Congressmen and Senators in November because after voting against giving to average people MILLIONS of dollars in Child Tax Credits (and BILLIONS less in other Federal Taxes), they do after all “bring home the goods,” such as one million dollars for this Community/Medical center, or $40,000 for that organization.