De Blasio heads to Albany for pleas and protest
By JONATHAN LEMIRE and JOSEFA VELASQUEZ
The Associated Press
Bill de Blasio's journey to Albany marks a key date in his young mayoralty, as he heads to the capital to make a late push for his signature pre-kindergarten plan amid a backdrop of a protest organized by well-financed charter school advocates.
De Blasio, a Democrat, was elected in part on a mandate to raise taxes on wealthy New Yorkers to fund universal pre-kindergarten and expanded after-school programs for middle schoolers to help fight the city's income inequality gap, but he has run into roadblock after roadblock at the state capital. He needs the approval of the state legislature to raise taxes but many of Albany's powerbrokers have given no sign they are willing to do so in an election year.
Moreover, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has performed some political jujitsu, not only by proposing that pre-kindergarten instead be funded through the state budget, but by arguing that giving New York City a chance to tax its millionaires creates inequality for other communities in the state which don't have the same affluent tax base.
So on Tuesday, de Blasio will make his fourth trip to Albany since taking office two months ago to again try to persuade stubborn lawmakers that the will of the people demand a dedicated, five-year revenue stream to fund pre-kindergarten, which he argues can only be guaranteed through the tax hike.
http://www.legislativegazette.com/Articles-Top-Stories-c-2014-03-04-87032.113122-De-Blasio-heads-to-Albany-for-pleas-and-protest.html
