New York City Mayor Eric Adams is learning that even when you don’t have a governor dedicated to tormenting you at every turn, it’s not so easy to get what you want from Albany.
Take mayoral control over schools: Lawmakers are proposing to give Adams a two-year extension, short of the four years he wanted and what Gov. Kathy Hochul wanted to give him, meaning he’ll have to do this all over again midway through his first term. Just as importantly, there will likely be significant strings attached.
The mayor lashed out at “professional naysayers,” who he says are to blame for his plight. He says a “small number” of said naysayers (but apparently enough to carry a majority of the Legislature) are “not on team New York.” He refused to the identify the alleged culprits, but some are outing themselves: “‘Professional Naysayer’ t shirts will be available for all the parents and students who expressed their legitimate concerns to legislators across the city and state,” quipped Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou.
At issue here is both the length of the mayoral control term and legislation that would require the city to bring down class sizes, a longtime priority of advocates and teachers unions. It would cap classes at 20 to 25 students, depending on the grade level. Schools Chancellor David Banks said Wednesday evening the move will cost $500 million for elementary schools alone, and force the city to cut school safety programs, dyslexia screenings, social workers, nurses, and summer programming. He’s hoping that if Albany lawmakers do follow through with the proposal, they’ll pony up the cash as well. “Make no mistake, it will lead to large cuts in these critical programs. This should not be a choice that school leaders have to make,” he said.
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, for one, is puzzled by the last-minute gripe, saying Adams was told about the two-year extension and was OK with it. The mayor’s state lobbying efforts have been criticized as dysfunctional. Lawmakers are expected to pass the bill today, the last day of session, and so far no "naysayers" appear ready to change their minds.
