Kathy Hochul opts New York into federal education tax credit scholarship program

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Friday that she has opted the state into President Donald Trump's Education Freedom Tax Credit program. Fox News and the New York Post report that the governor made the move despite strong opposition from teachers unions. [1][3][4]

The federal program offers a 100 percent tax credit to individuals donating up to $1,700 annually to approved scholarship organizations, according to the New York Post. The outlet notes that the initiative could benefit more than 2.7 million public, parochial, and private school students across New York State for the upcoming school year. [4]

Hochul stated that every parent wants their child to have a great education and the best chance to succeed, as reported by Fox News. She added that New York's public schools remain the backbone of communities and cited prior state investments that increased public school funding by more than $10 billion. [1]

Hochul, a Democrat, has served as the 57th governor of New York since 2021 and is the state's first female governor. As FTMQ News reported earlier, President Trump scheduled a Friday rally in Syracuse with Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman, where Trump targeted Hochul following recent public safety incidents. [2][9][10][13]