Arizona Corporate Tax Credit News

AT&T and the University of Notre Dame have teamed up to dramatically expand educational opportunities available to at-risk children in Tucson. By making an $800,000 contribution through Arizona's corporate tax credit scholarship program, AT&T has created hundreds of scholarships for children to attend the two Notre Dame ACE Academies on the south side of Tucson: St. John the Evangelist and Santa Cruz.

Jerry Fuentes, President of AT&T Arizona/New Mexico, announced the partnership with Notre Dame on Friday, March 2 at an event at St. John the Evangelist School in Tucson. Fuentes was joined by Notre Dame ACE Academies director Christian Dallavis, president of the Arizona School Choice Trust Elizabeth Dreckman, and Arizona state senator Olivia Cajero-Bedford, as well as 200 children, teachers, parents, and school leaders from the two Notre Dame ACE Academies in Tucson, including Priscilla Bussari, the mother of scholarship recipients at St. John and a member of the ND ACE Academies Tucson School Board.

"AT&T is committed to driving innovation in education by investing locally, connecting people and seeking exponential change. By strengthening educational opportunities for the children of Tucson, we're investing in the future of our community, our state, and our nation," Fuentes said. "Programs like these seek to increase high school graduation rates which is a key indicator for success."

The University of Notre Dame last week recognized leaders of the Tucson General Office of New York Life Insurance Company as "champions for educational opportunity." New York Life's recent contribution of $100,000 through Arizona's corporate tax credit scholarship program will provide scholarships for more than 100 at-risk children to attend Notre Dame ACE Academy schools in the south-side Tucson community.

Dr. Christian Dallavis, director of the Notre Dame ACE Academies initiative, and Andrea Cisneros, assistant director of Notre Dame ACE Academies, presented a token of the University’s appreciation to Marc Braden, the Managing Partner of New York Life’s Tucson General Office, and Joe Casey (Notre Dame Class of ’79), a Tucson-area New York Life agent.

The Notre Dame ACE Academies leaders were joined in their statement of appreciation by the superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Tucson, Sister Rosa Maria Ruiz, CCFM.

 In Arizona, insurance companies and C-corporations may receive a 100-percent tax credit when they contribute their state tax liability to certified scholarship granting organizations like the Catholic Tuition Support Organization (CTSO) of the Diocese of Tucson. New York Life’s contribution to CTSO provides opportunities for disadvantaged children of low-income families to attend high-quality schools, including two Notre Dame ACE Academies in Tucson.

“New York Life is pleased to invest in our local community, and to work with Notre Dame to strengthen educational opportunities in Tucson,” said Marc Braden, managing partner of New York Life’s Tucson General Office.

“This tax credit program has enabled an incredible partnership,” said Christian Dallavis, director of the Notre Dame ACE Academies initiative. “It allows a major national company like New York Life to invest in a community it serves while making it possible for the Notre Dame ACE Academies to put more at-risk kids on the path to college.”

The Arizona tax credit initiative was one of several education reform initiatives discussed Wednesday, September 28, by the Notre Dame Forum Panel, “The Conversation: Developing the Schools Our Children Deserve.”  The Most Rev. Gerald Kicanas, bishop of Tucson and a panel participant, said, "I think it’s wonderful that New York Life, a company that is literally in the business of risk management, is creating opportunities for at-risk children.  In a very real way, this contribution is at the heart of both their mission and ours."