Beverly Solo testifies in support of tax for schools and child care funding

My name is Beverly Solo.

I live in Inwood in northern Manhattan.

I've lived in New York City for 44 years.

I'm a grandparent and a parent of two public school teachers.

I'm also a lactation consultant and have worked to help countless new parents return to the workplace.

I'm not here to talk about the merits of how this was the rollout or the implementation.

Clearly, it's been a mess.

The vast majority of the discussion has been about that.

But let's say those problems could be resolved.

My message is simple.

I want to see revenue from the pied-a-terre tax go to schools and child care.

Properly funded, the school where my son teaches in Queens could more meaningfully support all students in growing and learning to the best of their abilities.

More funding could mean hiring more teachers in lower class sizes, in accordance with the law, which is not being followed now.

More tutoring hours for students.

As it is now, my son often tries to fill the gaps on his own time with extra tutoring.

Teaching teenagers isn't as stressful as the lack of resources for public school teachers.

Some of his students are also unhoused.

The cost of childcare is one of the causes of homelessness.

With free childcare, hopefully we will no longer have nearly one in seven students living in homeless shelters.

On a personal level, I want my son to be able to continue to live in the city where he was born and raised.

I want to be near my grandchildren.

Taxing the rich is extremely popular among working New Yorkers, as is our mayor.

Whenever I wear this Tax the Rich t-shirt, people on the street smile or say, I like your shirt.

We who live, work, and pay taxes here year-round make this city a desirable place to have a second home.

It seems reasonable and fair to ask those who don't pay full-time income taxes here, but who have luxury homes here for pleasure, to contribute to the well-being of New York City, its families, and students.

I

really, really hope that the problems in implementation can be resolved so that those who are able and willing to pay taxes on their second pleasure homes

are able to do it so that we can have the revenue for really important public services.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak as a private citizen not representing any organization.

Thank you.

Next.