Democrats in the state Senate tentatively agreed to pass legislation extending the mayor’s authority to run city schools — as soon as a power-sharing deal with the GOP is reached, sources said last night.
Under the proposed agreement, the Senate would OK the mayoral-control bill that already passed the Assembly, said Sen. Shirley Huntley (D-Queens).
In a key compromise, Democrats would drop their demand that the mayor’s appointees to the Panel for Educational Policy serve fixed terms instead of at Bloomberg’s pleasure.
“That’s bye-bye,” Huntley said. The head of the Senate’s Democratic conference, John Sampson of Brooklyn, who had vowed to fight the Assembly version, has signed on to the deal — which includes an amendment to be passed later increasing parental input.
Huntley emphasized the parent amendment should be acceptable to Bloomberg because “the mayor will be in charge.”
But the fragile accord could still be upended by a blow-up in the fractious Democratic conference or sniping with City Hall.
Meanwhile, the Senate could soon be working in the dark as well as without perks and pay, The Post has learned.
Utility bills, rent payments and computer contracts are among more than a half-million dollars in expenses that have gone unpaid since June 8, when state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli froze Senate accounts as a result of the unprecedented leadership fight in the chamber.
The $560,000 in outstanding bills include $173,000 owed to IBM for printing equipment and maintenance, and $90,000 due to Corporate Woods LLC for the lease of the Senate’s off-site printing facility, according to comptroller records.
DiNapoli has also frozen $61,179 in travel expenses for senators on the grounds that there is no clear Senate leader to certify payments.
Last week, the Democratic comptroller announced that he would freeze Senate paychecks starting Wednesday. Senate leaders argue the action is unconstitutional, and DiNapoli has asked a state court to rule on the issue early this week.
Austin Shafran, a spokesman for former Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith (D-Queens), who still controls the day-to-day operations of the chamber, said the freeze won’t remain in place long enough to keep the Senate from paying bills.
Also yesterday, senators wrapped up their holiday weekend in Albany at 6 p.m. yesterday with another fruitless session — that lasted three minutes.