Dems: Dream Act, school tax credit all but dead

Democrats said Monday a proposal to tie an education tax credit to the so-called Dream Act appears dead.

 As lawmakers move toward finalizing a state budget, Assembly and Senate members met behind closed doors to discuss education and other issues, including a proposal by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to trade off the tax credit for the Dream Act, which would allow children of immigrants living in the country illegally to receive state college aid.

Cuomo thought tying the two together would force the houses to support both. But Democrats oppose the tax credit, which they say will benefit the wealthy. Senate Republicans oppose the Dream Act.

After emerging from conference Monday, Assembly Democrats said both ideas are all but off the table.

  “We knew the Senate wanted it off the table all along,” said Assemb. Phil Ramos (D-Brentwood).

 A Senate Republican said the trade was “on life support.”

 Make the Road New York, a group that advocates for immigrants, said it was “heartbroken” about the apparent development.

 “Today's news makes me feel like the governor's just making empty promises to us, and that he's not really standing up for our dreams,” Claritza Suarez, a 16-year-old sophomore at Brentwood High School, said in a statement issued by MRNY.