Metro

Bloomy and Bill in Yankee basebrawl

Mayor Bloomberg and Bill Thompson last night sparred over education, taxes and jobs — and even threw beanballs at each other about the new Yankee Stadium during the final mayoral debate.

With the Yankees preparing to open the World Series at home, Bloomberg defended the city-subsidized $1.5 billion Stadium after he was questioned about it by a Bronx resident who appeared by video.

“The city’s job is to make those kinds of investments that will leverage private money, and when we get done with Yankee Stadium — it’s taken a little longer than we planned — they will have more parks than we had before, as well as a facility for the big events that make New York New York,” Bloomberg said.

Thompson attacked the mayor for handing the Yankees big tax breaks, and noted the razing of the old stadium is behind schedule, thereby delaying the creation of parks for nearby residents.

“This is just another example of the mayor’s giveaway to another one of his developer friends in the city,” Thompson said during the hourlong debate broadcast on WABC.

“We’re seeing these tax breaks, this giveaway, to the Yankees to build a stadium that people in the surrounding neighborhood and all across the city of New York can’t afford to buy tickets to go see.”

The nastiest skirmish broke out over their records on public education: Bloomberg has had mayoral control of the school system since 2002, and Thompson was president of the former Board of Education from 1996 through 2001.

“When my opponent ran the old Board of Ed, this education system didn’t do anything for our kids,” said Bloomberg, who was more aggressive last night than in the first debate.

“Quite the contrary — kids got pushed from grade to grade without having to be able to do the work. The teachers did not get the kind of support they need. Construction costs were outrageous and we didn’t build anything,” he fumed.

Thompson accused the mayor of lying about his record.

“This constant distortion of my record when I was at the Board of Education and the spending of an excessive and exorbitant amount of money to continue to lie to the people of New York City needs to stop,” Thompson said.

Bloomberg also warned that Thompson would raise taxes if elected — “he said so many things, I can’t keep straight who he’s going to tax, but he’s going to tax somebody.” Thompson vowed he would not.

On job creation, Thompson charged Bloomberg has “ignored small business.”

Bloomberg countered: “The only jobs he’s ever created are the patronage jobs in the old Board of Ed and maybe some jobs for some money managers and placement agents.”

The mayor also was hit with a question about a $26,000 contribution his accountant, Martin Geller, made to Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s re-election campaign, one month after Booker endorsed Bloomberg.

Bloomberg said he was proud to support another mayor who shares his views.

david.seifman@nypost.com